G ove r n men t Re lat ions
• Proposes establishing an All Payer Claims Database to collect
medical, pharmacy and dental claims, as well as eligibility
and provider files from private and public payers, including
Medical Assistance, Medicare and commercial insurers. The
Administration believes this database is instrumental to
controlling spending because it will measure utilization and
costs.
The General Assembly passed the budget in October.
State Board of Dentistry Update
PDHDP Site Locations
In 2015, the General Assembly passed SB 1275, now Act 60 of
2015, granting more authority to the State Board of Dentistry
(SBOD) to expand practice sites to “locations” (rather than
“institutions”) for Public Health Dental Hygienist Practitioners
(PHDHPs). Subsequently, the Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists’
Association (PDHA), requested that the SBOD consider adding
the following practice locations as approved settings:
1) Private settings of hospice and home-bound patients
2) Primary care settings, including pediatric physician offices
3) Child care settings
PDA expressed opposition to expanding PHDHP site locations,
believing it is inconsistent with the SBOD’s charge to protect
the health and well-being of Pennsylvanians. With the practice
sites currently listed in regulation, the common denominator
is that there are other health care providers on staff to provide
assistance in case of a medical emergency while the hygienist
is treating patients. That safety net may not exist if PHDHPs
practiced in child care and private settings of hospice and
homebound patients, the definitions of which are too loosely
defined.
PDA also expressed opposition to allowing PHDHPs to practice
in physicians’ offices, stating that the ultimate goal should be to
eliminate barriers so patients seek treatment from dentists in
dental, not physician, offices