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Comprehensive Dental Reform Act of 2015

Introduced: February 25, 2015 See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 7 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 23, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Mar 27, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Mar 23, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs.
Mar 16, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.
Mar 6, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Feb 25, 2015
Introduced in House
Feb 25, 2015
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, the Judiciary, Natural Resources, Veterans' Affairs, and Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Comprehensive Dental Reform Act of 2015

Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to cover oral health services.

Increases the federal medical assistance percentage for oral health services, thereby increasing payments to states under Medicaid.

Directs the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to maintain a database of dental benefits available to adult Medicaid enrollees in each state.

Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish, revise, and extend funding for grant programs for:

  • educating nondental professionals about oral health care;
  • providing dental services in hospital emergency rooms or in community settings;
  • providing scholarships and education loans for oral health professional students;
  • providing oral health services to low-income and underserved individuals;
  • building, operating, or expanding dental clinics in schools; and
  • providing mobile, comprehensive dental services at locations that serve individuals who qualify for benefits under specified programs.

Authorizes community based dental residencies.

Authorizes specified agencies to conduct research on oral health issues through FY2019.

Amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to make oral health services an essential health benefit.

Removes restrictions on the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide dental care to veterans (thereby requiring dental care on the same basis as other VA-provided medical care and services).

Authorizes the VA, Department of Defense, Bureau of Prisons, and Indian Health Service to carry out demonstration programs to train and employ alternative dental health care providers in order to increase access to dental services.

Directs the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the expansion of dental service coverage pursuant to this Act.

Directs the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the implementation and utilization of expanded dental service coverage under this Act and the demonstration programs authorized by this Act.

What's happening now November 23, 2015

Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

 Committees of jurisdiction 11
 Cosponsors 4
All 4 Democratic 4