The Santa Fe Group Submits Nomination of Dental Services for Medicare Coverage for Individuals With Diabetes
On February 2, 2024, the Santa Fe Group submitted their nomination to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to request coverage of medically necessary dental services for individuals with diabetes.
The CMS’s annual nominations process enables stakeholders to identify dental services that are “inextricably linked […] and integral to the clinical success of other covered medical services.” The Santa Fe Group values this opportunity to nominate clinical conditions for consideration by CMS, as these nominations hold the promise to have a direct and meaningful impact in the lives of millions of Medicare beneficiaries.
The relationship between oral diseases and diabetes mellitus is complex and bidirectional. Treatment of oral infections, such as periodontitis and related inflammation, has been found in clinical studies to improve the treatment and management of diabetes, whereas the absence of dental treatment for these infections has been shown to complicate diabetes management and exacerbate insulin resistance and diabetes-related complications. For these reasons, the Santa Fe Group proposes that dental services are inextricably linked and integral to the clinical success of several covered medical services for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes.
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