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American Alliance for Dental Insurance Quality Releases Letter Outlining Medicaid Access to Care Issues in Massachusetts

Access to Care” Under Medicaid Means Time to Obtain Treatment

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American Alliance for Dental Insurance Quality Releases

“Access to Care” Under Medicaid Means Time to Obtain Treatment, Not Distance to the Provider As Measured by State Third Party Administrator DentaQuest


BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, May 20, 2024 /Businessnewsrelease.com/ — The American Alliance for Dental Insurance Quality (AADIQ) has released on its website an important letter from the Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) addressing critical “access to care” issues within the Massachusetts Medicaid system. The letter, backed by nine prominent dental organizations, highlights serious non-compliance by DentaQuest, MassHealth’s third-party administrator, with federal access to care requirements for Medicaid children.

The letter, spearheaded by Dr. Mouhab Rizkallah, President of AADIQ, and signed by leaders such as Dr. Abe Abdulwaheed, President of the Massachusetts Dental Society, Dr. Elon Joffre, President of the Massachusetts Association of Orthodontists, Dr. Derek Zurn, President of the Massachusetts Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, as well as Dr. Rizkallah, outlines significant flaws in DentaQuest’s network adequacy analysis.

Dr. Rizkallah emphasized, “When complied with, children’s Medicaid is the finest insurance program in the world. Sadly, DentaQuest mishandles many provisions of the Medicaid Act, exposing programs such as the Massachusetts Medicaid agency to federal law violations. The result is that poor kids struggle to find dental care. There is no excuse for this legal noncompliance, and this is consistent with many other patient-harming behaviors we have found DentaQuest responsible for.”

The letter emphasizes that DentaQuest uses a distance-to-provider metric instead of the federally mandated “‘care and services availability'” metric. This incorrect approach results in inadequate network adequacy.

DentaQuest’s current metric defines access as being 10 minutes to a general dentist and 30 minutes to a specialist. However, federal statute 42 USC-1396a(30)(A) requires state programs to ensure payments are sufficient to enlist enough providers so that care and services are available under the plan to the same extent as they are available to the general population.

“Minutes to provider is an evasive and meaningless metric,” emphasized Dr. Rizkallah. “All state programs must use ‘care and services availability’ to comply with federal law. That means every state must determine how much time it takes for a child to get the needed treatment, not just get to the front door of a provider who has no time to treat the child.”

The MDS letter also notes that it is insufficient to only determine “care and services” availability from MassHealth providers. MassHealth must also compare this availability with that of the general population (non-MassHealth providers) to ensure compliance with federal law. This comparison is critical in setting appropriate payment rates.

Dr. Rizkallah pointed out that noncompliance with 42 USC-1396a(30)(A) is not trivial. It jeopardizes the state’s receipt of over $10 billion in federal funds annually and denies poor children their Medicaid entitlement. “The words ‘at least’ are a powerful choice of words. Legislators clearly wanted poor children, who have higher social determinants of health risk, to have even more access than others,” he said.

The noncompliance letter, sent on February 9, 2024, concludes with a request for MassHealth to implement a secret shopper comparison of Medicaid provider availability against non-Medicaid providers, followed by a Medicaid rate increase to comply with federal mandates. No response to the letter has yet been received.

PDF Copies of the letter and attachments can be downloaded from the AADIQ website.


About the American Alliance for Dental Insurance Quality
The American Alliance for Dental Insurance Quality (AADIQ) originated as the “Committee on Dental Insurance Quality,” which was founded to ensure passage of Massachusetts Question 2 (2022) – the first dental voter ballot in history. The AADIQ is dedicated to improving the quality of private insurance and Medicaid insurance plans in every state.

The Board of Directors:
Dr. Mouhab Rizkallah DDS, President. Dr. Rizkallah is a distinguished orthodontist who was honored as Dentistry Today’s “Person of the Year” in 2022.
Dr. Margaret Scarlett DDS, Vice President. Dr. Scarlett is a renowned dentist, author, and pandemic disease expert.
Dr. David Leader​​ DDS, Treasurer. Dr. Leader is the director of the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine DMD/MPH Dual Degree Program.
Dr. Patricia Brown DDS​, Director. Dr. Brown is a Past President of the American Academy of Dental Sciences.
Dr. Andrew Chase DDS, Director. Dr. Chase is a Past President of the Massachusetts Association of Orthodontists.

Dr. Mouhab Rizkallah
American Alliance for Dental Insurance Quality
[email protected]

Business

William B. Jackson — Bringing an Institutional Perspective to Retail Trading

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In an era of unprecedented information transparency and lower barriers to market participation, the distinction between professional traders and everyday retail investors is being redefined.

William B. Jackson, an investment adviser and senior portfolio manager at PMB Advisors, represents this evolving shift.

Unlike many individual investors who rely heavily on intuition and short-term emotions, Jackson firmly believes:

“Your true edge isn’t how intelligent you are. It’s whether you can think like an institutional investor.”

  1. From Retail Trading to an Institutional Mindset

William B. Jackson did not begin his career at a major investment bank. His trading journey started with his own personal investment account, where he progressed from a novice market participant to an experienced trader reportedly capable of generating multiple times his initial capital in quarterly returns.

Today, as a professional investment adviser at PMB Advisors, he continues to emphasize one fundamental principle:

“Individual investors who want to achieve consistent results must first change the way they approach the market.”

He explains:

“The primary reason retail investors struggle is not a lack of tools, but a short-term mindset. Institutions focus on trends, while retail investors focus on price fluctuations. Institutions wait for confirmation, while retail investors speculate on expectations.”

In his view, the greatest advantage retail investors possess is flexibility. Unlike large institutions, individual investors are not constrained by substantial capital commitments or extensive reporting requirements, allowing them to adjust their positions more quickly.

However, some of the most common mistakes among retail investors include excessive trading, emotionally driven decisions, and inadequate position management.

  • Thinking Like an Institution: Systematic, Data-Driven, and Disciplined

Jackson’s trading philosophy is built around three core principles:

Systematic Execution:

A trading plan should be established before an order is placed. Entry points, stop-loss levels, and price targets should all be supported by a clearly defined rationale.

Data-Driven Decision-Making:

Every trade should have a measurable basis. Investment decisions should be supported by data and analysis rather than subjective feelings or intuition.

Emotional Discipline:

Institutional investors do not allow short-term market movements to dictate their emotions. Their primary focus is on evaluating risk, potential returns, and the overall risk-reward profile of an investment.

During a client seminar, Jackson explained:

“Retail investors are often influenced by emotion because they treat profits and losses as a reflection of their personal judgment, while institutions view them as statistical observations.

When you begin documenting trading results as if you were conducting a research experiment, you stop reacting to the market and start analyzing it.”

  • Understanding the Professional Role of Losses

Within Jackson’s trading framework, a loss is never automatically defined as a failure.

He views losses as an inherent part of any trading system—essentially, a necessary cost of participating in the financial markets.

Institutional traders are not primarily concerned with whether an individual trade produces a loss. Instead, they focus on whether that loss remains within acceptable limits and whether the trade was executed according to the original strategy.

“Retail investors often try to avoid losses altogether. Institutions understand that controlling losses is far more important than trying to eliminate them.”

Jackson points out that the greatest risk for many investors is not the loss itself, but the tendency to abandon their original trading plans when a position moves against them.

Discipline, he believes, is the foundation of every sustainable investment strategy.

4. The Future: Bringing Institutional Capabilities to Individual Investors

Looking ahead, William B. Jackson believes that advances in technology and broader access to financial information will allow more retail investors to develop analytical and execution capabilities once largely associated with institutional investors.

Algorithmic trading, real-time market data, and artificial intelligence-assisted decision-making are giving individual investors access to tools and insights that were previously difficult to obtain.

However, he also offers an important reminder:

“Even the most sophisticated system cannot replace human discipline. The investors who succeed in the long run will always be those who consistently follow their own rules.”

5. PMB Advisors: Bringing Institutional Standards to Individual Investors

PMB Advisors is headquartered at 101 Larkspur Landing Circle, Suite 200, Larkspur, CA 94939-1746, California. The firm is registered as an investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as reflected in its Form CRS and Form ADV disclosures.

The firm’s core services include:

Investment Portfolio Management: Discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management services.

Ongoing Account Monitoring: Continuous portfolio oversight and dynamic risk assessments.

Comprehensive Financial Planning: Services addressing retirement, education, insurance, tax planning, charitable giving, and options-related strategies.

Custody and Back-Office Support: A.G.P. / Alliance Global Partners.

William B. Jackson’s philosophy reflects a broader shift taking place across the investment industry:

The gap between retail and institutional investors is increasingly being reshaped by differences in mindset, discipline, and decision-making processes.

When individual investors learn to plan, evaluate, and execute their strategies with an institutional mindset, they are no longer simply following the market. They become more independent, analytical, and disciplined participants in the investment process.

In the long-term pursuit of success in the capital markets, logic, discipline, and structured execution remain among the most valuable competitive advantages an investor can develop.

Contact Information

Email: [email protected]

Address: 101 Larkspur Landing Circle,

Suite 319, Larkspur,

CA 94939-1746, United States

Website: https://pmbservice.com/

Registration:

SEC-Registered Investment Adviser

CRD No. 137495

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PMB Advisors Connects to the AGP Connect Platform

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Introducing Institutional-Grade Trading and Back-Office Infrastructure, with the Smart Mirroring System (SMS) to Strengthen Professional Service Delivery
In today’s competitive capital markets, research capability and client service remain at the core of a professional investment advisory firm. At the same time, execution quality, the accuracy of strategy synchronization, and the smoothness of back-office processes also have a direct impact on final delivery. As market structure becomes more complex and clients demand greater execution efficiency and operational transparency, PMB Advisors believes it is necessary to complement its existing advisory platform with institutional-grade trading and back-office support.
Against this backdrop, PMB Advisors has formally connected to the AGP Connect platform. Through this collaboration, the firm will gain access to trading and back-office infrastructure designed for professional investment organizations, and will be able to execute securities transactions and synchronize strategy follow-on trading on the platform. This further strengthens PMB Advisors’ capabilities across investment management, trade implementation, and operational support.

  1. Built for Professional Firms, Making Institutional Capability More Accessible
    The AGP Connect platform is designed for small and mid-sized professional investment firms. It provides institutional-grade trading back-office infrastructure and supports securities execution across equities, options, bonds, and related markets. Compared with traditional large-institution service models, AGP Connect places greater emphasis on accessibility, operating efficiency, and high-touch responsiveness. It is well suited to advisory firms and investment teams that need professional execution capability while retaining operational flexibility.
    For PMB Advisors, connecting to AGP Connect is not simply the addition of another trading gateway. It is an extension of the firm’s overall service capability.
  2. Three Core Advantages of Connecting to AGP Connect
    Smart Mirroring System (SMS) and Mirror Trading
    Following the connection, PMB Advisors’ research and strategy-management capabilities will be integrated with the Smart Mirroring System (SMS) developed on the AGP Connect platform. Through mirror-trading technology, partner clients and professional investment teams can synchronize advisory rebalancing signals on the mobile app and complete fully automated one-click execution, without manual order entry. This is intended to address long-standing pain points in traditional advisory models, including slow dissemination of recommendations and mismatches caused by manual implementation.
    Integrated Trading and Back-Office Capabilities
    In addition to trade execution and SMS mirror trading, the platform also provides PMB Advisors with key post-trade support, including clearing, settlement, and asset custody. By bringing these functions onto one digital platform, the firm can reduce process friction from switching between multiple systems, establish a clearer and more standardized operating loop, and lower back-office complexity and system costs.
    A Connected Experience of Individual Custody and Professional Strategy
    PMB Advisors has long served high-net-worth clients and professional investors who place a high value on execution quality, account security, and transparency. Through AGP Connect, clients can maintain individually custodied accounts and fund security, while using the SMS Smart Mirroring System to receive strategy output from the advisory side in a more seamless way, creating a more consistent and transparent service experience.
  3. Remaining Independent While Strengthening Professional Delivery PMB Advisors believes the value of professional investment service is reflected not only in research and judgment, but also in the ability to implement strategy in a stable and reliable manner. A dependable trading and back-office system allows the research team to focus more on portfolio construction, risk control, and client communication, rather than on fragmented execution and operations.
  4. This connection also reflects PMB Advisors’ continuing direction: remaining an independent advisory firm, while adopting infrastructure that improves the efficiency of professional delivery. The firm will not change its client-first standard. Instead, it aims to make its existing advisory capabilities more robust and more sustainable through stronger execution and operational support.
  5. Going forward, PMB Advisors will continue to refine internal trading workflows, mirrored follow-on mechanisms, and client-service coordination around AGP Connect and the Smart Mirroring System (SMS). The objective is to improve the full chain from investment decision to trade execution and back-office processing. Clients will have professional advisory strategy support at the front end, and more stable trading and follow-on infrastructure at the back end.
  6. PMB Advisors × AGP Connect
  7. Connecting professional advisory capability with institutional-grade infrastructure, so investment service can move forward with greater stability and reach.

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The Future of Intelligent Investment Tools: In Depth Insights from QMI 3.0 Testers

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Sentry Bridge Capital (SBC), a globally recognized intelligent investment firm, recently announced the successful completion of the testing phase of its QMI 3.0 Intelligent Investment System. As one of the company’s core innovations, QMI 3.0 received widespread positive feedback during the trial period.
Test participants came from diverse backgrounds, including experienced investors as well as individual retail investors. They consistently described QMI 3.0 as a transformative tool that significantly improves investment efficiency and strengthens confidence in making choices.
The QMI 3.0 testing program invited individual investors from various industries to participate, including freelance professional Anna Mitchell, startup entrepreneur Ryan Lee, and full time mother Sophia Carter. Below are their in depth evaluations of QMI 3.0.

Intelligent Recommendation System: Making Investing Simple and Intuitive

Anna Mitchell: As a freelancer, my time is very limited, and it is hard for me to spend hours studying market trends and analyzing data.
But QMI 3.0’s smart recommendation system has changed that. It automatically screens for investment opportunities with strong potential and provides detailed analysis along with clear action steps.

During the testing period, I followed the system’s recommendation and invested in an energy stock. It not only suggested the right time to buy, but also gave me a target price and a stop loss suggestion.
In the end, the investment earned me more than 15% in just two weeks. For individual investors like me who do not have much time to research the market, this kind of tool is truly practical and helpful.

Ryan Lee: As a startup entrepreneur, I have limited capital, so I am very careful when it comes to investing. QMI 3.0’s smart recommendation system really surprised me in a good way. The interface is very intuitive, and it is easy to use.

What I like most is that it does not just tell you what to buy, it also explains the reasoning behind it. For example, it looks at market trends, historical data, and current money flows to help me understand why a certain asset might be a good choice. That level of transparency makes me feel at ease and gives me more confidence when I invest.

Whale Activity Detection System: Understanding the Moves of Major Market Players

Sophia Carter: As a full time mom, I have very limited time for investing, but I still want to set something aside for my family’s future.
QMI 3.0’s whale activity tracking system has honestly been a lifesaver for me. It tracks the flow of smart money in the market and shows me which assets are getting attention from large institutions.

One time, I noticed the system flagged a tech stock that was seeing a big inflow of funds. Even though I do not know a lot about investing, the analysis provided by the system helped me quickly make a decision and invest in that stock.
A few weeks later, the stock price went up significantly. For me, the whale activity tracking system feels like an investment guide that helps me follow the top players in the market and make smarter decisions.

Ryan Lee: As a startup entrepreneur, I have always been very interested in what large institutions are doing in the market, because they often signal where trends are heading. QMI 3.0’s whale activity tracking system let me see what these big behind the scenes players were doing for the first time.

During testing, I used the system to track money flowing into popular industries like clean energy and artificial intelligence. It shows in real time which stocks or assets are attracting large amounts of capital, along with detailed insights about where the money is coming from and the possible intent behind it. Having this kind of information helps me better understand industry trends and make investment decisions at the right time.


Overall Evaluation from Testers: QMI 3.0 Makes Investing More Efficient and More Transparent

Reporter: Anna, as an everyday investor, how would you assess the overall performance of QMI 3.0?

Anna Mitchell: QMI 3.0 has made investing feel a lot less complicated to me. I used to think I had to spend a lot of time studying the market, but now QMI 3.0 handles most of that work for me. It not only saves me time, but also helps me catch more investment opportunities.

What I really like is how transparent it is. Every recommendation comes with detailed analysis and clear action steps, so I understand exactly why I am investing in a certain asset. That kind of clear guidance is very important for everyday investors like me.

Reporter: Sophia, as a full time mother, how has QMI 3.0 supported you in your investing activities?

Sophia Carter: QMI 3.0 lets me manage my investments easily, even with a busy daily schedule. It is very simple to use, and even if you do not know much about the market, you can pick it up quickly.

Most importantly, its whale activity tracking system helps me follow where the big money is going and avoid the risks of investing blindly. I feel like QMI 3.0 is not just a tool, but more like a personal investment advisor that is there for me anytime, anywhere.

Future Outlook: Making Intelligent Investing Accessible to Everyone

Reporter: What significance does the successful testing of QMI 3.0 hold for everyday investors?

Anna Mitchell: The successful testing of QMI 3.0 shows that smart investing tools are no longer just for professional investors.
They can actually help everyday investors in a real and meaningful way. It makes investing simpler, more transparent, and more efficient. I believe that as the QMI system becomes more widely available, more people will be able to enjoy the convenience and benefits that smart investing brings.

Ryan Lee: As an entrepreneur, I feel really optimistic about the future of the QMI system. It can help individual investors like me, and it can also support small businesses with managing their assets.
In the future, I would love to see even more features, like tools that help investors plan and build long term wealth.


Conclusion: The Future of Intelligent Investing Is Here

The successful testing of QMI 3.0 not only highlights Sentry Bridge Capital’s technological strength in the field of intelligent investing, but also signals that the global asset management industry is entering a new era of intelligence driven development.

As Emily Carter stated, “QMI 3.0 enables investors to capture core market opportunities with greater speed and precision. It is not just a tool, but a bridge that allows everyday investors to enter the world of intelligent investing.”

With the continuous iteration and enhancement of the QMI system, Sentry Bridge Capital is using technological innovation and data driven decision making to open a more efficient, transparent, and intelligent investment era for investors worldwide.

About Sentry Bridge Capital:

Sentry Bridge Capital, also known as SBC, is a globally recognized intelligent investment firm focused on delivering efficient and transparent asset management solutions through financial technology and quantitative analysis. Headquartered in the City of London, the company is committed to promoting an open and sustainable financial ecosystem.

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