An Act increasing access to MassHealth dental providers

This bill aims to increase access to dental care for MassHealth enrollees by offering financial incentives to participating dentists and public health dental hygienists. Under the new provisions, eligible providers located in specific municipalities with high numbers of MassHealth members and low dental service usage will receive an additional payment of $31 for each patient encounter. To qualify for these supplemental payments, providers must be licensed in Massachusetts, enrolled with MassHealth, and located in areas designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services as having significant unmet dental needs. The legislation requires the department to create regulations defining which municipalities are eligible based on historical enrollment and utilization data.