Earlier this week, Congress was on track to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund the federal government through March 2025. This agreement, reached by Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives and Senate, included key provisions vital to your practice and patients. However, the agreement fell apart at the last minute due to opposition from President-Elect Trump and Elon Musk. Now, more Republicans are voicing their opposition to the CR on critical provisions that will impact you and our profession. We need your voice in the debate to keep numerous public health and workforce programs funded and prevent a government shutdown.
Today, we are asking you to help ensure these provisions are not stripped from a more streamlined Continuing Resolution as Congress determines what changes are going to attract bipartisan support for its passage before the shutdown deadline tomorrow at midnight.
Key Provisions at Risk:
Oral Health Workforce Programs
-Action for Dental Health (ADH): Supports programs to address workforce shortages and improve access to oral health care in rural and underserved areas.
-National Health Service Corps (NHSC): Provides loan repayment incentives to bring dental professionals to rural and underserved communities while alleviating student debt.
-Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME): Expands dental residency programs in community-based settings to improve access to care for vulnerable populations.
-Community Health Centers (CHCs): Ensures continued access to preventive and primary oral health care for underserved populations.
These programs are vital to addressing the workforce shortages that impact your ability to provide care. We know this is a crucial issue with more than 80% of dentists reporting difficulties recruiting dental hygienists and assistants, thus limiting access to care for patients.
Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) Compliance Deadline
The CTA imposes vague and burdensome reporting requirements on small businesses, including dental practices, with severe penalties for noncompliance. The Continuing Resolution includes a one-year delay in the CTA compliance deadline to:
-Allow federal regulators to provide better education and outreach.
-Give small businesses more time to prepare.
-Resolve ongoing legal challenges to the CTA.
Without this delay, dental practices face uncertainty and potential penalties, distracting from your ability to provide care to patients.
Mental Health Protections for Health Care Providers
The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act would reauthorize a federal grant program aimed at increasing mental health resources for health care workers. Excessive administrative burden and workflow inefficiencies overload already stretched-thin health care professionals, and such pressures can compromise patient care and interfere with the doctor-patient relationship.
We want to ensure this grant program is reauthorized because we know when health care professionals have the care they need and deserve they are able to continue to provide high quality care to the individuals, families, and communities they serve.
Please contact your Members of Congress and urge them to retain funding for the oral health workforce programs, delay the CTA compliance deadline, and protect mental health provisions for health care providers in the Continuing Resolution. You can use the pre-drafted message here https://www.ada.org/advocacy/legislative-action-center/CR-Alert to share how these provisions impact your practice and your patients.
Your engagement can make the difference in protecting these crucial programs and ensuring continued access to oral health care for patients across the country.
Thank you for standing up for your patients and our profession.
Thank you,
Brett
Dr. Brett Kessler
President
