In our previous article, we explained Value-Based Care Plans (VBC – aka Capitation) and presented the official policy of the American Dental Association (ADA) against such plans.
Yet just inside the ADA, a powerful group known as the “Dental Quality Alliance” (DQA) is promoting value-based care.
This ADA group has become a VBC platform for dental insurers – who pay for DQA voting rights.
This article is meant to shine a light on this conflict of interest.
BACKGROUND: 2009 FORMATION OF THE DENTAL QUALITY ALLIANCE
In 2009, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) asked the ADA to form a “Dental Quality Alliance” (DQA) – that would bring together various oral health stakeholders (including national dental organizations, federal and state partners, insurance companies, and patients).
The DQA’s intent by CMS was specific:
“work together on measurements that could be used by States for the purposes of improving the delivery of oral health services and the development of quality measures” to be primarily focused on “….children eligible for Medicaid.”
Essentially, ADA’s alliance was supposed to ally with insurers and other stakeholders to influence Children’s Medicaid (not ally to influence all of dentistry).