Bill · S. 5088· Senate(119-S-5088)
Ensuring Kids Have Access to Medically Necessary Dental Care Act
- Introduced
- 7/22/2026
- Last activity
- 7/22/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Sponsored by
- Angela Alsobrooks
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, titled the "Ensuring Kids Have Access to Medically Necessary Dental Care Act," aims to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act. It seeks to prohibit states from establishing lifetime or annual limits on the dollar value of dental benefits for targeted low-income children and pregnant women under the Children's Health Insurance Program. Additionally, the bill changes certain dental coverage options from optional to required. It also prevents states from providing more favorable dental coverage or cost-sharing protections for children under dental-only supplemental coverage than those provided to children eligible for the full range of health assistance.
Yes· 3 of 7
Would children be better off under this?+8
The bill specifically protects children by preventing states from imposing caps on the dollar value of their dental benefits.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+7
The bill enhances the stability and extent of dental benefits for low-income children and pregnant women.
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+7
By prohibiting lifetime and annual dollar limits on dental benefits, the bill ensures continuous access to medically necessary dental care for low-income children and pregnant women.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Removal of benefit caps: States will be prohibited from setting lifetime or annual dollar limits on dental benefits for targeted low-income children and pregnant women (Section 2, subsection a). This ensures that dental care is not cut off due to reaching a specific spending limit.
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Increased coverage requirements: The bill changes the language regarding dental-only supplemental coverage from an option a state "may waive" to a requirement that a state "shall waive" (Section 3, subsection a).
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Standardized dental protections: The bill prevents states from providing more favorable dental coverage or cost-saring protection to children under dental-only supplemental coverage than those provided to children receiving full child health assistance (Section 3, subsection a).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Children+8Good For Low Income Households+7Good For Women+6
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+7Increases Medicaid Funding+5Increases Affordable Care Act Support+3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+4
- 7/22/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Introduced in Senate