Legislative Session

We are meeting with Senator Onder next week to request he sponsor the legislation. In the House, we will wait until we see who is appointed to the Insurance Committee prior to choosing a sponsor. Downcoding is a growing phenomenon experienced by a variety of healthcare providers in which an insurance provider modifies the procedure code originally submitted by the healthcare provider and reimburses the amount attributed to the new code instead of the originally billed code. We are working with other health care provider groups and associations across the state.

 

We will ask Representative Wayne Wallingford (in case you are confused – he was our SENATE sponsor last year but termed out and is now a state representative). We hope to secure a Senate sponsor next week as well. In 2020, the Missouri General Assembly passed House Bill 1682 intended to enforce prompt credentialing for health care providers. We have learned that a prominent Missouri dental insurance carrier has refused to adhere to the new law citing an exemption based on their tax status. This legislation seeks to remedy that exemption. 

We are working to allow greater dental services to adults on Medicaid and fund the Donated Dental Services program.

At the request of the Missouri dental schools, two bills have been filed to allow for dentists to administer vaccines. HB628 sponsored by Rep. Danny Busick (R-Newtown) and SB322 sponsored by Senator Steven Roberts (D-St. Louis) and both would allow for licensed dentists to administer vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine. Dentists would not be required to administer vaccines. We will continue to monitor this legislation.

In November 2020, the Governor called the legislature to a special session to pass COVID-19 liability reforms. The legislation would have included protections for healthcare providers, premises and producers against frivolous COVID-19 related lawsuits. Unfortunately, the special session was cut short after a COVID-19 outbreak in the Capitol. We are hopeful that COVID-19 liability protections will be a priority for legislators during the 2021 session. SB42 filed by Sen. Bill White and SB51 sponsored by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer provide protections against liability in COVID-19 related cases.

The MDA is extremely appreciative of the 2020 Missouri Legislature including funding for limited adult dental services, provider reimbursement rate increases and other dental programs. We appreciate your consideration of funding continuation for these areas:

• Dental Medicaid Continuation – Approximately $5 Million to maintain provider reimbursement rates and current funding for Adult Dental Services.
• Continued funding for the following dental programs – Dental Lifeline Network/Donated Dental Services ($90,000); Elks Mobile Dental ($200,000); and, State Dental Director ($70,000).