by By Andrew Smith, Executive Director, ADSO
In state legislatures nationwide, lawmakers have recognized the need for reforms to ensure a vibrant and thriving dental industry that can provide quality, affordable, and accessible care to all who need it. During the 2023 legislative sessions, our industry came together to achieve tremendous success in multiple states that will help address workforce challenges, reduce patient costs, and institute better practices for insurers. With many state legislatures in recess, the Association of Dental Support Organizations (ADSO) looks back on these victories and plans for what’s to come.
Addressing the shortage of dental professionals in states nationwide is one of the ADSO’s top priorities. This year, we’ve worked with industry partners to pass the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact in Iowa and Washington, and the bill is currently making its way through the Pennsylvania legislature and is expected to be introduced in Wisconsin soon. This key legislation will improve public access to dental care by streamlining the licensure process for dentists and dental hygienists when relocating from participating states. Once seven states enact the legislation – a goal we anticipate surpassing in 2024 – the compact goes live, removing barriers for dental professionals seeking to move states to meet the existing demand for dental services.
License portability removes undue burdens on dental professionals aiming to move to states and continue practicing dentistry. The ADSO is extremely proud of our successes thus far, and we will continue to prioritize passing the compact in more states in 2024 while also pursuing Universal Licensure.
Payer reform is another area of focus for the ADSO and our industry partners to ensure better outcomes for dental professionals and the patients we serve. Our efforts to pass the historic Dental Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) ballot initiative in Massachusetts will reduce patient costs and has spurred action to pursue similar legislation nationwide. This year, the ADSO helped pass legislation addressing this issue in Colorado and Nevada, and we will continue to pursue MLR in additional states in the next legislative session.
The 2023 legislative sessions also brought about needed Assignment of Benefits (AOB) legislation, which requires that a dental plan honor a patient’s request to send their reimbursement dollars directly to providers. With the passage of an AOB law in Arkansas, and introduction of similar legislation in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, the ADSO is proud to have spurred momentum on this issue.
Other payer reforms were also passed in Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri relating to virtual credit card protections and network leasing, through which dental plans must provide dentists payment options that don’t incur a fee and allow dentists to opt out of leased networks without a penalty.
As our industry undergoes an unprecedented period of transformation, the ADSO is proud of our successes in overcoming the issues facing dental professionals. As we look ahead to next year, we will continue collaborating with our dental organization partners to create better outcomes for dental professionals and patients that will define the coming decades of dental care.
