Updating California’s Essential Health Benefits Webinar

Call Summary
CPEHN Senior Policy Director, Cary Sanders highlighted recent changes to a federal rule that will advance health equity by making it easier for states to add additional benefits to private insurance such as dental care, doula/CHWPR/peer services and durable medical equipment (e.g. wheelchairs, hearing aids) as part of the state’s Essential Health Benefits/benchmark plan.

Community Catalyst Policy Director, Colin Reusch, provided additional details on the federal rule change and timeline for updating state EHBs/benchmark plans. Reusch also highlighted a recently released report and survey by Community Catalyst which shows there is broad national, bipartisan support (83%) for adding adult dental as an EHB.

DMHC Director, Mary Watanabe shared details on California’s joint public process with the Administration and Legislature for updating the state’s EHBs. The state must submit its proposed changes to the U.S. Health and Human Services Agency, by May 2025 in order for the changes to go into effect in 2027. The next public hearing is scheduled for August 6, 2024, by the Senate and Assembly Health committees.

Watch the webinar recording here.

Key Links:

Speaker bios:

• Colin Reusch: https://communitycatalyst.org/people/colin-reusch/
• Mary Watanabe: https://www.dmhc.ca.gov/AbouttheDMHC/LeadershipTeam.aspx

Essential Health Benefits/Public Comment:

• August 6, 2024: Joint Hearing Assembly and Senate Health: Essential Health Benefits Information on the Hearing on 8/6/24
• June 27, 2024: DMHC Public Meeting Materials/EHB: Essential Health Benefits Meeting (ca.gov)
• Community Catalyst’s guide to the EHB benchmarking timeline: https://communitycatalyst.box.com/s/7si5f0v98e73oohw491cdvuid0ppmexx

Oral Health Disparities/Access to Dental Care:

• CPEHN’s most recent report on oral health equity: https://cpehn.org/publications/addressing-the-root-dismantling-systemic-barriers-to-oral-health-equity/
• Community Catalyst’s polling research (shows strong support for adding adult dental to EHBs): https://communitycatalyst.org/news/new-polling-voters-want-policymakers-to-do-more-to-address-health-and-economic-justice-make-health-care-more-affordable/
• Community Catalyst’s talking points on adding adult dental to EHB: https://communitycatalyst.box.com/s/az71077j731qywx36omeih25f3c05bfv