Contact Congress about S. 2012: Medicare Dental Benefit Act of 2023
People on Medicare would get a new dental benefit, including routine and major dental care. Low-income enrollees would get 80% coverage right away, while most others would wait years for Medicare's share to rise. The bill also sets limits on some services and gives states more federal help with certain dental cost-sharing costs.
Modern Action explains legislation in plain English, helps you choose whether to support, oppose, or ask for changes, and drafts a message tied to the bill, your stance, and the elected officials who can act on it.
Medicare Dental Benefit Act of 2023 is a Senate bill in Congress.
Who this affects: This bill mainly affects people on Medicare who need dental care. It matters most for older adults, people with disabilities, low-income enrollees, and people who have both Medicare and Medicaid. Dentists, states, and federal health officials would also have to work under the new rules.
Why this matters: Many people on Medicare now have little or no routine dental coverage, so they often pay large bills themselves or skip care. This bill could lower those costs and make it easier to get covered dental care, especially for low-income people who would get higher coverage right away. It also matters because the new benefit would not work like simple first-dollar coverage for everyone. The government could limit how often some services are covered, require advance approval for some treatment, and change coverage over time based on federal recommendations.
Key provisions in S. 2012
- The bill creates a Medicare dental benefit that covers a wide range of care. That includes routine prevention, basic care, major work like root canals, crowns, and dentures, emergency care, and other needed services the Health and Human Services Secretary allows.
- Routine dental exams and preventive dental care would count as Medicare preventive services. That places them under Medicare's existing preventive care rules.
- For most non-preventive dental care, Medicare would not pay anything in the first year. After that, its share would rise by 10 percentage points each year until it reaches 80% in year eight and stays there.
- Some low-income Medicare enrollees would get much better coverage right away. If a person qualifies, or would qualify, for the Part D low-income subsidy, Medicare would pay 80% of covered dental costs from the start and keep paying that rate.
- Medicare would cap routine cleanings and routine exams at two each every 12 months for each person. The Secretary could waive that limit.
How Modern Action helps you take action on S. 2012
You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.
Questions people ask about S. 2012
- What is S. 2012?
- People on Medicare would get a new dental benefit, including routine and major dental care. Low-income enrollees would get 80% coverage right away, while most others would wait years for Medicare's share to rise. The bill also sets limits on some services and gives states more federal help with certain dental cost-sharing costs.
- How do I support or oppose S. 2012?
- Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.
- Who should I contact about S. 2012?
- Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.
- Can Modern Action explain S. 2012 before I act?
- Yes. Modern Action gives you a plain-English summary, current status, and action context before you send anything.
