AGD Capitol Connections

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released final reporting requirements for providers who received one or more payments exceeding $10,000 from the Provider Relief Fund. The reporting system will become available Jan. 15, 2021. Additionally, the department noted that recipients may be subject to auditing.

As the 2020-2021 state legislative session approaches, the Wisconsin AGD and Wisconsin Dental Association (WDA) work to open regular communications around advocacy and discuss how the two organizations can partner as stakeholders in the oral health community.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) posted revisions on September 11 to regulations that implemented the paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

AGD submitted comments to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) on September 18 regarding a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) Scoring Criteria Request for Information (RFI).

On September 16, the Businesses Preparing for a Better Tomorrow Act (H.R. 8260) was introduced by Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) to help employers combat the spread of COVID-19 by providing tax incentives for qualified employee training on best practices to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

On September 10, a Senate GOP pandemic relief package (S. 178) was blocked by Democrats in a 52 to 47 vote short of the 60 needed to advance the legislation for floor debate.

The House of Representatives voted this week to pass the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act (H.R. 1418), a bill to repeal the antiquated McCarran-Ferguson antitrust exemption granted to the health insurance industry decades ago.

The AGD has worked diligently with constituents to help address issues during the COVID-19 emergency. This has included providing resources, creating state-specific action alerts and helping compose and send letters to government entities that express concerns of general dentists within their state.

On September 3, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the Rural Action Plan, following an August 3 executive order requesting that the HHS produce a report on existing and upcoming efforts to improve rural healthcare.

On September 9, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a markup session for 38 pieces of legislation, including H.R. 1379, the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (ELSA).

In a September 8 letter to lead sponsors, AGD endorsed H.R. 7671, the Small Business Comeback Act. H.R. 7671 calls for the establishment of a Small Business Recovery Fund to help American businesses who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19.

AGD submitted comments on September 4 to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) in response to their Discussion Draft of the Preliminary Framework for Equitable Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine (2020).

AGD President, Dr. Connie White, DDS, FAGD, sent a letter on August 27 to the Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Oral Health advocating for a return to May 2020 guidance language on N95 masks in its “Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Dental Settings During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic.