Bipartisan legislation recently introduced by U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) would expand affordable dental care options for Americans living in states without a state-run health insurance marketplace.
“Dental care is a pent-up need in our society,” Sen. Cassidy said on Aug. 12. “This bill increases access to dental insurance for those who otherwise would not have it.”
Sen. Cassidy on Aug. 2 cosponsored the Increasing Access to Dental Insurance Act, S. 4739, with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) to allow additional individuals to enroll in stand-alone dental plans offered through federal exchanges, according to the text of the bill.
Currently, the federal health insurance marketplace does not offer such dental plans without purchasing health insurance on the federal exchange, according to information provided by the lawmakers.
If enacted, S. 4739 would amend Section 1321 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to not restrict any qualified individual from enrolling in such a plan offered through an exchange, the text says.
“I’m proud to build on my efforts with Senator Cassidy to lower healthcare costs by introducing this commonsense, bipartisan legislation to allow Granite Staters and individuals in other states to purchase more affordable dental coverage,” Sen. Hassan said. “As Americans struggle with high prices across the board, it is important to take steps to lower everyday costs, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill.”
S. 4739 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.