Medicaid dental reforms passed in Kentucky, Maine

In response to broader federal changes to Medicaid found in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, states are taking action to amend their own laws. Kentucky’s HB 2 introduces significant Medicaid reforms, including a transition of dental services to an Administrative Services Organization model by 2029. This dental carve-out establishes a Dental Director and advisory panel to strengthen oversight, improve care coordination and expand access. Supported by the Kentucky Dental Association, the changes are intended to stabilize the Medicaid dental program and help patients access consistent, community-based care while increasing reimbursement. Maine lawmakers tackled dental care access with a series of key bills. LD 2123 streamlines MaineCare (Medicaid) dental services by eliminating prior authorization for deep sedation and raising reimbursement rates, aiming to reduce barriers for providers and patients. Meanwhile, LD 1652 incentivizes dentists to practice in underserved areas by offering a non-refundable tax credit for those serving MaineCare patients in shortage regions. In conjunction with these efforts, the Office of MaineCare Services has decided to begin its dental rate redetermination process a year early in an effort to address the issue.