S. 5089 — Medicare Dental Benefit Act of 2026

This section expands Medicare coverage to include dental and oral health services necessary to prevent disease, restore function, reduce pain, and treat emergencies. It covers routine cleanings and exams (limited to two of each per 12-month period), basic services such as fillings and extractions, major services such as root canals, crowns, and dentures, and emergency care. Payment begins at 0 percent of the fee schedule amount in the first year after enactment and rises by 10 percentage points annually to 80 percent by the eighth year, with 80 percent coverage available immediately for subsidy-eligible individuals; the Secretary may impose additional limits, waive frequency restrictions, or modify coverage consistent with USPSTF recommendations.

This section increases the federal medical assistance percentage to 100 percent for the portion of state expenditures on Medicare cost-sharing for qualified Medicare beneficiaries that is attributable to dental and oral health services under Medicare Part B, for the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

This section requires the Preventive Services Task Force to include at least one oral health professional among its members with appropriate expertise, effective January 1, 2028.