Concerns Raised Over Dental Insurance Industry Influence on Direction of the American Dental Association

Recent changes in the ADA's Dental Quality Alliance (DQA) raise apprehensions over industry sway

BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, August 20, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Recent developments within the American Dental Association’s Dental Quality Alliance (DQA) have sparked significant concerns among dental professionals and industry watchdogs.

These concerns center around the growing influence of dental insurance companies on the American Dental Association (ADA), particularly regarding the controversial re-emergence of capitation insurance plans (relabeled as "Value Based Care" plans), which have historically compromised patient care quality and are actually against current ADA policy.

A recent article published by the American Alliance for Dental Insurance Quality (AADIQ) highlights that the ADA's DQA is promoting these plans despite a clear conflict with established ADA policy, leading to questions about the extent to which the dental insurance industry influences the ADA’s decision-making process, and the potential long-term implications for patient care quality.

It is notable that membership and voting rights in the ADA's DQA can be bought by insurance companies, which is criticized by the AADIQ in its recent article.

The AADIQ points out that the ADA's DQA was originally established by a 2009 request from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the purpose of enhancing the delivery of dental care for State Medicaid programs. However, the ADA's DQA voted to depart from this original mission. The DQA appears increasingly aligned with the interests of the dental insurance industry, particularly in its endorsement of capitation plans—an insurance model that pays dentists a set amount per patient and encourages minimized care.

This DQA behavior contradicts the ADA’s clear stance against capitation plans. The ADA’s policy explicitly states that such plans do not serve the best interests of patients, as they can lead to under-treatment and a decline in the overall quality of care.

Dr. Mouhab Z. Rizkallah, President of the AADIQ, expressed his concern about this trend, stating, “The ADA is a noble organization. However, the ADA’s DQA has been hijacked by insurers, and appears to be subverting clear ADA policy by supporting capitation plans (re-labeled as "value-based care" plans) that prioritize insurance company profits over patient care. The AADIQ is shining a light on this problem, for the benefit of a nation of patients and the ADA.”

The change of mission and growing influence of dental insurers within the ADA's DQA raises serious concerns about the widespread adoption of capitation plans, fundamentally harming the landscape of dental care in the United States.

Dr. Mouhab Rizkallah
American Alliance for Dental Insurance Quality
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