CRITICALRegulatoryTier 1
HHS, CMS encourage states to phase out mercury dental fillings
SourceBecker's Dental + DSO ReviewTier 1Hard News
By Cameron Cortigiano
Originally at beckersdental.com
Summary & scoring by The Bell Brief (Dr. Jennifer Bell) using the Drill-Down Protocol (Drill-Down Score) — not the original publisher.
Why it matters for dental
Medicaid-heavy dental practices face an imminent coverage shift: CMS is pushing states to drop reimbursement for amalgam restorations, threatening revenue for clinics that rely on these codes for adult and pediatric Medicaid patients.
Key points
- CMS July 22 directive explicitly asks state Medicaid directors to restrict or eliminate CDT codes for amalgam restorations.
- States that comply will end fee-for-service or managed-care payments for D2140–D2161, D2960, etc., shifting costs to practices or patients.
- Pediatric dentists and FQHCs serving high Medicaid volumes will need to budget for alternative materials (composite, glass ionomer) and possible prior-auth requirements.
- Practice owners should monitor state plan amendments and consider inventory, UCR fee schedules, and informed-consent language now.
Who should care
OwnerDSOStaff
Read the original on Becker's Dental + DSO Review
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