A Democratic bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Medicare Dental Benefit Act of 2026 aims to amend the Social Security Act to include coverage for dental and oral health services under Medicare. This includes preventive care, basic and major dental services, and emergency dental care. The bill establishes a gradual increase in payment percentages for these services over several years. It also provides specific coverage rules for dental prostheses and certain low-income individuals. The provisions regarding dental coverage are scheduled to take effect for services furnished on or after January 1, 2028. Additionally, the bill mandates the inclusion of at least one oral health professional on the Preventive Services Taskforce.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +8
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Low-income individuals who are subsidy-eligible receive immediate 80 percent coverage for dental services.
- Scored +7
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
The bill expands Medicare coverage to include dental and oral health services for seniors.
- Scored +7
Would retired people be better off under this?
The bill enhances Medicare benefits which directly benefits retirees needing dental care.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill expands Medicare coverage for dental services, which increases federal expenditures over time.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Expanded Health Coverage: The bill adds coverage for dental and oral health services, which include routine diagnostic and preventive care, basic services like fillings and extractions, major services like root canals and dentures, and emergency dental care (Section 2(b)).
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Increased Support for Low-Income Individuals: For individuals who are subsidy eligible or would be eligible for a prescription drug plan, the bill provides an immediate 80 percent applicable percentage for dental and oral health services and dental prostheses (Section 2(d)(2)(B)(ii) and Section 2(f)(2)(B)(ii)).
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Enhanced Expert Guidance: The bill ensures that the Preventive Services Taskforce includes expertise from at least one oral health professional (Section 4(a)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Delayed Full Coverage: For most people, the payment amount for dental and oral health services starts at 0 percent for the first year, with coverage increasing by 10 percentage points each year until it reaches 80 percent in the eighth year (Section 2(d)(2)(B)(i) and Section 2(f)(2)(B)(i)).
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Service Limitations: The bill places specific limits on how often certain services can be used, such as restricting routine dental cleanings and routine exams to only two of each within a 12-month period (Section 2(d)(3)(A)).
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Restrictions on Dental Prostheses: Coverage for dental prostheses is limited to no more than one full upper and one full lower prosthesis, or one partial upper and one partial lower prosthesis, every five years (Section 2(f)(3)(A)).
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Potential for Additional Restrictions: The Secretary has the authority to apply additional limitations on coverage, such as requiring prior authorization (Section 2(d)(3)(B)(i) and Section 2(f)(3)(B)(i)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Low-income individuals who are subsidy-eligible receive immediate 80 percent coverage for dental services. Would retired people be better off under this? — The bill enhances Medicare benefits which directly benefits retirees needing dental care. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill expands Medicare coverage to include dental and oral health services for seniors.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill provides coverage for preventive, basic, major, and emergency dental services for Medicare beneficiaries. Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65? — The bill mandates coverage for various dental and oral health services under the Medicare program.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill provides immediate 80 percent coverage for dental services to subsidy-eligible low-income individuals.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill expands Medicare coverage for dental services, which increases federal expenditures over time.
- 7/22/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon