Senators Hassan and Cassidy Team Up to Expand Affordable Dental Care with New Bipartisan Bill

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Dr. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced legislation that would help expand affordable dental care options for Americans in states without a state-run health insurance marketplace like New Hampshire and Louisiana. Currently, the federal health insurance marketplace does not offer stand-alone dental plans without purchase of health insurance on the federal exchange. This leaves residents in New Hampshire and Louisiana, alongside 31 other states who do not have a state-run health insurance marketplace, unable to access affordable dental insurance on the federal health insurance marketplace. Senator Hassan and Cassidy’s bill would change that by allowing the purchase of a stand-alone dental plan on the federal health insurance marketplace by consumers in these 33 states without a state-run health insurance marketplace.

“I continue to hear from Granite Staters, especially veterans, about how a simple trip to the dentist for routine procedures can bring with it sky-high costs,” said Senator Hassan. “I’m proud to build on my efforts with Senator Cassidy to lower health care costs by introducing this commonsense, bipartisan legislation to allow Granite Staters and individuals in other states to purchase more affordable dental coverage. As Americans struggle with high prices across the board, it is important to take steps to lower everyday costs, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill.”

“Dental care is a pent-up need in our society,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This bill increases access to dental insurance for those who otherwise would not have it.” 

This bill is part of Senators Hassan and Cassidy’s ongoing efforts to make healthcare more affordable for Americans. The duo led successful, bipartisan efforts to help end the practice of surprise medical billing, which is now in effect. They also successfully passed into law their bipartisan legislation to enhance education about biosimilar drug products in an effort to increase competition and lower drug costs. Additionally, in 2019, President Trump signed into law bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Hassan and Cassidy to close a loophole in the Medicaid rebate program that results in big pharmaceutical companies overcharging taxpayers. The bipartisan legislation will save taxpayers approximately $3.1 billion over the next 10 years.