# Plain Language Summary: Medicare Medically Necessary Dental Care Act of 2023

Right now, Medicare doesn't cover dental work. Period. If you're on Medicare and need a tooth pulled, a filling, or any other dental procedure, you have to pay for it yourself. This bill would change that—but only for specific situations where dental problems are directly connected to serious medical conditions.

Here's what would actually happen if this bill passes: Medicare would start paying for dental care for people dealing with certain serious illnesses, but only if the dental work is needed because of those conditions. The bill specifically covers dental procedures for people who have had a prosthetic heart valve replacement, or who have been diagnosed with head or neck cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, or have had an organ transplant. The key requirement is that you'd need to get the dental work done within one year of your diagnosis or surgery. So if you're a Medicare patient recovering from a heart valve replacement and your dentist says you need a cleaning and treatment to prevent infection that could damage your new valve, Medicare would cover it. But if you just need a routine cavity filled and you don't have one of these specific conditions, Medicare still wouldn't pay.

The bill is based on medical research showing that oral infections can seriously complicate recovery from major surgeries and worsen outcomes for people with certain cancers and immune system conditions. The reasoning is that preventing dental problems in these situations isn't just about your teeth—it's about protecting your overall health during a critical time. The coverage would start on January 1, 2024, if the bill becomes law.

Medicare Medically Necessary Dental Care Act of 2023

Cohen, Steve

Medicare Medically Necessary Dental Care Act of 2023 This bill allows for coverage of certain medically necessary dental services under Medicare. Specifically, the bill allows for coverage of dental services that are furnished (1) in conjunction with treatment relating to a prosthetic heart valve replacement, cancer of the head or neck, lymphoma, leukemia, or organ transplantation; and (2) within one year after the date of diagnosis or the date of the related surgical or medical treatment for the diagnosis, whichever is later.