LINCOLN- There's a push in the Nebraska Legislature to substantially increase Medicaid funding and raise dental reimbursement rates, but so far it hasn’t succeeded. Sen. Lynne Walz, a Democrat from Fremont, introduced a bill in January that would increase dental services reimbursement under the Medical Assistance Act by 25%. The increase would cost roughly $6 million.

The proposed increase would raise reimbursements on average to match one of the state’s lowest paying private insurance plans, Ameritas, said David O’Doherty, Executive Director of the Nebraska Dental Association. The Health and Human Services Committee unanimously voted for LB358, sending it to the full Legislature, but it has not yet been debated on the floor.

The bill is on general file and can be brought up for debate during the 2024 session, a representative from Walz’s office said. In the 2023-2025 biennium budget, all Medicaid reimbursement rates were increased by 3% for FY2023-24, but Gov. Jim Pillen used a line-item veto to remove a 2% rate increase for the second fiscal year.

For the full article click HERE