Ask Your Senators to Support the DOC Access Act Today Mar 31, 2022 S.1793, the Dental and Optometric Care (DOC) Access Act, was introduced in the Senate by Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND).
PREVENT Pandemics Act Undergoes Markup Mar 16, 2022 S.3799, the PREVENT Pandemics Act is undergoing a markup by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee this week. The legislation is designed to prepare for and respond to existing and emerging viruses and other health threats.
Omnibus Funding Bill Includes AGD Priorities Mar 16, 2022 Congress passed a $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package last week that would fund federal operations for the remainder of fiscal year 2022.
AGD Meets with Senators to Discuss Oral Health Literacy Bill Mar 16, 2022 On Monday, AGD met with the offices of Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) to discuss sponsoring H.R.4555, the Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act.
AGD Thanks REDI Act Sponsors for Senate Introduction Mar 3, 2022 The AGD thanked Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and John Boozman (R-AR) for introducing S.3658, the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, in a letter addressed to their offices on Tuesday.
HRSA Continues Rollout of Phase 4 Provider Relief Fund Payments Mar 3, 2022 The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will issue $560 million in Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Phase 4 payments to more than 4,100 providers this week. The agency has issued nearly $11.5 billion in PRF Phase 4 payments and $7.5 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural payments.
CDC Publishes Updated Opioid Prescription Guidelines Mar 3, 2022 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published proposed guidelines for prescribing opioids to treat pain in patients 18 years and older. The proposed guidelines mark the first update to the CDC’s Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain since 2016.
AGD Urges Appropriations Committees to Increase Funding to Fight Tobacco-Use Apr 1, 2021 AGD joined allies in sending letters to the leaders of the House and Senate subcommittees that allocate funding for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), calling for $310 million in funding in FY2022 for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health (OSH).
AGD Congratulates U.S. Surgeon General Murthy on Senate Confirmation Apr 1, 2021 On March 24, AGD sent a letter to Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., MBA, congratulating him on being confirmed by the Senate to serve as the 21st Surgeon General of the United States.
AGD Issues Support for Legislation to Improve Medicaid Dental Care for Foster Youth Apr 1, 2021 AGD sent a letter of support to Representative Karen Bass (D-CA) on March 25 for her bipartisan legislation, the Foster Youth Dental Act of 2021 (H.R.1794).
Senator Calls for Medicare Dental Benefit to be Included in Infrastructure Package Apr 1, 2021 Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) told reporters on March 26 that he is urging the Administration and his Democratic colleagues in Congress to include a massive expansion of the Medicare program as part of a sweeping infrastructure package Democrats are currently developing.
Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Protect Patients with Congenital Anomalies Apr 1, 2021 On March 16, Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Representatives Anna Eshoo (R-CA) and Drew Ferguson, D.M.D. (R-GA) reintroduced ELSA, the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (H.R.1916/S.754).
Senators Introduce Bill to Expand Dental Coverage for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Mar 18, 2021 U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) recently introduced the Oral Health for Moms Act (S.560).
AGD Joins Massive Coalition Calling for PPP Extension Mar 18, 2021 AGD joined hundreds of allied organizations in an effort led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to have the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) extended beyond its current end-of-month expiration date.
Sixth COVID-19 Relief Bill Signed into Law Mar 18, 2021 On March 11, President Joe Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (H.R.1319), a massive $1.9 trillion COVID-19 aid package passed using the budget reconciliation process in Congress. No Republicans in the House or Senate voted in favor of the legislation.
AGD Supports Legislation to Create Healthy Workplaces Tax Credit Mar 18, 2021 AGD send a letter of support to Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) on March 5 for their bipartisan legislation, the Healthy Workplaces Act (S.537). The bill would create a tax credit for qualified expenses that help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.
HHS Authorizes Dentists and Dental Students to Administer COVID-19 Vaccines Nationwide Mar 18, 2021 Effective March 11, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the seventh amendment to the Declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act) to authorize dentists and dental students to administer COVID-19 vaccines in all 50 states.
Dental Faculty Student Loan Bill Reintroduced Mar 4, 2021 Representatives Yvette Clark (D-NY) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ), and Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) have reintroduced a bill to improve the dental faculty loan repayment program, the Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act (H.R.1285/S.449).
FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization for Single-dose J&J Vaccine Mar 4, 2021 On February 27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the third vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The EUA allows the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine to be distributed in the U.S for use in individuals 18 years of age and older.
Stimulus Package Moves to Senate for Consideration Mar 4, 2021 The U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Rescue Plan Act (H.R.1319) on February 27, along a party-line vote. The $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus proposal will now be taken up in the Senate, where the package will be revised to remove a provision that would increase the federal minimum wage to $15/hour.