PDA's Annual Report 2019 Annual Report | Page 26

2018 - 2019 SESSION PDA’S ADVOCACY GOALS 2019 - 2020 Legislative Session PDA is the premier dental organization at the forefront of legislative initiatives to improve the dental practice environment in Pennsylvania for both dentists and patients. The legislative session, which commenced in January 2019, allows PDA two years in which to advocate on members’ behalf for important insurance reforms, scope of practice and access to care initiatives: Goal #1: Assignment of benefits. Goal #2: Student loan forgiveness for dentists willing to practice in designated health care practitioner shortage areas. Goal #3: Increased funding in the Medical Assistance program for dental providers. 26 While PDA takes a focused approach in limiting our primary advocacy efforts to those three issues, we will monitor and address additional issues on an as- needed basis: • Maintaining funding for Dental Lifeline Network’s Donated Dental Services program. • Prescription drug prescribing authority, abuse and patient monitoring. • Ensuing patients’ well being and safety by limiting or restricting the unsupervised practice of non-dentists. • All other workforce and scope of practice issues. • Supporting programs and policies aimed at improving oral health. • All insurance issues, such as balance billing, coordination of benefits and credentialing. • All dental licensing issues. • Improving patients’ ability to access quality dental care.