Families USA and Stakeholders Submit Letter to CMS: Improve Oral Health Through Medicare

As advocates for health equity and improving our nation’s overall health, we have long recognized the need for improved dental coverage in Medicare. Without this coverage, millions of older adults and people with disabilities in our nation cannot afford the care they need to get and stay healthy. The Biden Administration now has an opportunity improve a narrow, albeit critical piece of this popular, much needed benefit for our nation’s older adults and people with disabilities, often referred to as “medically necessary” dental coverage.

Families USA, along with a broad cross section of national and state level advocates for families, patients, older adults, and people with disabilities, has submitted comments to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in support of the proposal to clarify and codify CMS’s authority to cover “medically necessary” dental care related to cancer treatment in Medicare. We encourage CMS to continue to identify additional clinical scenarios that fall under this standard, and urge CMS to ensure this coverage is implemented as effectively as possible.