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AAPD Advocacy

 

The mission of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) is to advocate policies, guidelines and programs that promote optimal oral health and oral health care for children.

As advocates of children's oral health, the AAPD works closely with legislators, professional associations and health care professionals to develop policies and guidelines, implement research opportunities in pediatric oral health and educate pediatric dentists, health care providers and the public regarding pediatric oral health.

AAPD Advocacy strengthens the voice of pediatric dentistry on behalf of children's oral health at the national and state level. These activities bring pediatric oral health to the forefront of health policy deliberations. A strong, organized and informed advocacy network is essential to ensure effective communication within and among the AAPD headquarters and district and state unit organizations, and to promote effective state and national policy decisions.

This advocacy section provides summaries and resources on current legislative and regulatory issues affecting pediatric dentistry and the various AAPD efforts on your behalf. The reference materials are designed to assist in your advocacy efforts and provide opportunities to become more involved through advocacy training, participation in grassroots efforts and joining our E-Advocates network. All AAPD members are strongly encouraged to become involved in efforts to enhance the oral health care of children.

For further information, please contact AAPD Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel C. Scott Litch Esq., CAE, at slitch@aapd.org.

 

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Results: 22 Article(s) Found.
Download the AAPD’s 2013 Legislative and Regulatory Priorities as developed by the AAPD Council on Government Affairs and approved by the AAPD’s board of trustees. For further information, please contact AAPD Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel C. Scott Litch at oed@aapd.org.
 
Pediatric oral health is defined under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) as an essential health benefit. Health insurers in the individual and small group markets, inside or outside of state health insurance exchanges, must offer qualified health plans that cover ten categories of essential health benefits. It is estimated that 3 million children will gain dental benefits through the health insurance exchanges by 2018.
 
On August 3, 2012 the AAPD and ADA submitted comments in response to May 16, 2012 guidance issued by the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) regarding federally-facilitated exchanges (FFE).
 
The AAPD and the Organized Dentistry Coalition, along with over 700 other organizations, sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives in June 2012 urging a repeal of the medical device tax contained in the Affordable Care Act.
 
On May 16, 2012 the AAPD joined an Amici Curiae (friends of the court) legal brief filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in the case of North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners v. the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
 
More than 90 AAPD members from 24 states and the District of Columbia participated in the Academy's annual Congressional Lobby Days in Washington, D.C., on March 7-8, 2012.
 
The AAPD, the American Dental Association, and other members of the Organized Dentistry Coalition (ODC) commented to the federal Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) on Jan. 31, 2012, in response to draft guidance from this agency on essential health benefits (EHB).
 
On March 5, 2012, the AAPD filed a written statement for the record with the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. This was in response to the subcommittee’s Feb. 29, 2012, hearing on Dental Crisis in America: The Need to Expand Access.
 
Click below for a copy of the AAPD’s 2012 Legislative and Regulatory Priorities as developed by the AAPD Council on Government Affairs and approved by the AAPD’s board of trustees.
 
Congressional efforts at developing the final FY 2012 Labor-HHS appropriations bill were completed in late December 2011 after much political wrangling. The entire conference report is H. Rpt. 112-331 and the final law is P.L. 112-74.
 
On November 9, 2011 the AAPD and ADA met for a second time with staff of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO), which is a new agency under CMS (the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) that was created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). CCIIO is responsible for writing the federal guidance to states concerning “essential benefits” that are required to be covered by all qualified health
 
In early October 2011, the AAPD joined ADA and other members of the Organized Dental Coalition to comment on proposed regulations of CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) concerning the development of state health insurance exchanges as required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
 
On July 5, 2011, the AAPD and the ADA sent a joint comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) concerning proposed Medicaid regulations on methods for assuring access to covered services.
 
 
Several members of Congress have expressed concern about the Office of Head Start's decision to not exercise the remaining option years of the AAPD's contract to operate the Dental Home Initiative.
 
Nov 01, 2010 03:59 PM
November 2010: ADA-AAPD Letter on CMS Chief Dental Officer
 
Aug 01, 2010 04:01 PM
August 2010: ADA-AAPD Comments to Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services
 
The AAPD joined a broad range of dental organizations and employee unions in opposing the proposed excise tax on health care plans above a certain dollar threshold (the so-called "cadillac plan" tax).​
 
On October 7, 2009, the United States House of Representatives’ Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on Domestic Policy held a hearing on children’s dental issues in Medicaid.
 
On October 7, 2009, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a letter to states concerning implementation of required dental coverage under the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization of 2009 (CHIPRA).
 
Results: 22 Article(s) Found.