The Medicare Dental Benefit Act of 2026 would add comprehensive dental coverage to Medicare, including preventive care such as cleanings and exams, basic services like fillings and extractions, major services such as root canals and dentures, and emergency dental care. The coverage would take effect on January 1, 2028, and would apply to all Medicare beneficiaries. The bill uses a gradual payment phase-in over seven years, starting at zero percent coverage in the first year and increasing by ten percentage points annually until reaching eighty percent coverage by year eight, though low-income beneficiaries would receive eighty percent coverage immediately. Routine cleanings and exams would be limited to twice per year, and dental prosthetics like dentures would be covered once every five years, though the Secretary has authority to adjust these limits. The federal government would cover 100 percent of state Medicaid costs for dental cost-sharing assistance to qualified Medicare beneficiaries, and the bill would add an oral health professional to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.