Utah Bill Would Require Medicaid to Directly Reimburse Dental Hygienists For Services
Utah’s Senate Bill 103, introduced by Senator Todd D. Weiler (R), would require the state’s Department of Health to directly reimburse dental hygienists for certain services provided through Medicaid.
Utah’s Senate Bill 103, introduced by Senator Todd D. Weiler (R), would require the state’s Department of Health to directly reimburse dental hygienists for certain services provided through Medicaid. The bill would also create a deadline for the department to begin reimbursing dental hygienists directly.
Weiler (R)
Under SB 103, the state’s Medicaid program will be required to report yearly to Utah’s Health and Human Services Interim Committee on the following:
- Number and geographic distribution of dental hygienists requesting direct reimbursement
- Total number of patients covered by Medicaid who received care from dental hygienists who were then directly reimbursed for those services
- Total amount reimbursed directly to dental hygienists
- Specific services and billing codes that are reimbursed
- Aggregate amount reimbursed for each service and billing code
Dental hygienists may only directly bill and receive compensation for billing codes that fall within the scope of practice of a dental hygienist.
If passed, Utah will join 18 other states that authorize direct reimbursement from Medicaid programs. The American Dental Hygienists’ Association provides information on states that have passed practice acts allowing Medicaid programs to directly reimburse dental hygienists for services provided within their scope of practice at: adha.org/reimbursement.
SB103 has been passed by the Utah Senate and has moved to Utah’s House of Representatives for consideration. At press time, the bill was with the Business and Labor Committee.
From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. March 2021;19(3):11.
