Affordable Dental Care Available for Low-Income Americans
The human body is a complex, interconnected network of systems. What affects one part will ultimately have a direct impact on the whole, just as conflicts on one continent are eventually felt around the globe. Given this fact, it may not be surprising to learn that there is a broadening body of solid evidence suggesting that the bacteria generated by tooth decay and gum disease can jailbreak into the circulatory system, leading to life-threatening blood clots. Clearly, maintaining good oral health should be a vital part of everyone's health regimen.
Yet, according to her 2009 Slate magazine article entitled "The American Way of Dentistry: Why Poor Folks are Short on Teeth," June Thomas reveals that 130 million Americans do not have even the most rudimentary affordable dental care options, while another 21 million rely on public assistance programs such as Medicaid and Medicare that have serious problems of their own. When all is said and done, only about half of the people living in this country have dental benefits that help to defray the high cost of oral healthcare.
More Than Just Theory
In her Slate article, June Thomas goes on to chronicle the tragic story of a 12-year-old Maryland boy, Deamonte Driver, whose case illustrates in the starkest of terms how vital it is to forge a path toward low cost dental options for all Americans. Although Deamonte's mother attempted to get her son the care he needed to address his abscessed tooth, the status quo both in the dental care system and in Medicaid itself prevented him from receiving the intervention he needed fast enough. As a result, Deamonte died when bacteria from his infected tooth spread to his brain. Sadly, Deamonte's situation is not unique. Numerous men, women and children living in the wealthiest country in the world face the possibility of a similar fate if dental care is not made more affordable.
Can Medicaid Fill the Gap?
Medicaid is a partnership between the federal and state governments designed to provide a healthcare safety net to the poorest of the poor, as well as to some Americans with disabilities. For Medicaid eligible children under 21, dental coverage is furnished for routine visits, as well as preventative and corrective measures such as sealants, fluoride treatments, fillings, braces, and even dentures. Adult Medicaid recipients do not fare as well, however. Since state participation is voluntary for adults, only half of the states provide comprehensive benefits for people over 21. Deamonte Driver's case illustrates another fundamental problem with Medicaid as it is currently structured. Because the amounts that Medicaid reimburses dentists are very low, an increasing number have elected to turn away patients using this public assistance program to pay for their treatment. At the time of Deamonte's death, less than 20 percent of the dentists in his home state of Maryland accepted Medicaid.
Is Medicare an Option?
While a child on Medicaid at least has a chance of getting help with his or her comprehensive dental needs, the same cannot be said for a senior citizen or disabled person who only has Medicare to rely on. This federal program is, in fact, prohibited by act of Congress from paying for dental care except under very specific and limited circumstances. As an example, Medicare will only pay for a tooth extraction if it is a necessary prerequisite to kidney transplant surgery. No preventative or maintenance care is covered.
What About Healthcare Reform?
The crafters of healthcare reform recognized that promoting good oral health from an early age can lead to a lifetime of benefits. As a result, it appears that healthcare reform will have a positive impact on America's low-income children. To this end, the federal government will give more money to Medicaid in every state, and extend the scope of the Children's Health Insurance Program to widen access to dentists and specialists. In addition, healthcare legislation puts a great deal of emphasis on building an infrastructure that will pave the way for preventative care, research, and leadership development in the dental field. The bill even lays the groundwork for a system that will track America's oral health, especially that among pregnant women. Finally, public schools in all states will be given access to grants and initiatives to help their students prevent and manage tooth decay.
The foresight that healthcare reform legislators showed for American children did not, unfortunately, extend to low-income adults seeking affordable dental care. Although all Americans are required to have purchased some form of health insurance by 2014, the same is not true for dental insurance. Therefore, despite the measures that were supposed to promote overall wellness in every American, dental health remains a gaping, unaddressed need.
Discount Dental Plans
When private insurance falls short and public systems fail, discount dental plans can be a light at the end of the tunnel for low-income Americans. For a low monthly fee, patients can gain access to a network of dentists and specialists who provide preventative, maintenance, and emergency oral care to all members of the family at savings of anywhere from 20 to 60 percent of the full cost. Treatment can begin immediately after patients sign up, with no waiting periods, annual maximums, deductibles, or claim forms to file. Although discount plans are not considered to be dental insurance in the traditional sense, they are proving to be a vital link in the affordable dental care safety net. We can only hope that they, in combination with other resources, will one day guarantee affordable and accessible oral healthcare for each and every American.
Yet, according to her 2009 Slate magazine article entitled "The American Way of Dentistry: Why Poor Folks are Short on Teeth," June Thomas reveals that 130 million Americans do not have even the most rudimentary affordable dental care options, while another 21 million rely on public assistance programs such as Medicaid and Medicare that have serious problems of their own. When all is said and done, only about half of the people living in this country have dental benefits that help to defray the high cost of oral healthcare.
More Than Just Theory
In her Slate article, June Thomas goes on to chronicle the tragic story of a 12-year-old Maryland boy, Deamonte Driver, whose case illustrates in the starkest of terms how vital it is to forge a path toward low cost dental options for all Americans. Although Deamonte's mother attempted to get her son the care he needed to address his abscessed tooth, the status quo both in the dental care system and in Medicaid itself prevented him from receiving the intervention he needed fast enough. As a result, Deamonte died when bacteria from his infected tooth spread to his brain. Sadly, Deamonte's situation is not unique. Numerous men, women and children living in the wealthiest country in the world face the possibility of a similar fate if dental care is not made more affordable.
Can Medicaid Fill the Gap?
Medicaid is a partnership between the federal and state governments designed to provide a healthcare safety net to the poorest of the poor, as well as to some Americans with disabilities. For Medicaid eligible children under 21, dental coverage is furnished for routine visits, as well as preventative and corrective measures such as sealants, fluoride treatments, fillings, braces, and even dentures. Adult Medicaid recipients do not fare as well, however. Since state participation is voluntary for adults, only half of the states provide comprehensive benefits for people over 21. Deamonte Driver's case illustrates another fundamental problem with Medicaid as it is currently structured. Because the amounts that Medicaid reimburses dentists are very low, an increasing number have elected to turn away patients using this public assistance program to pay for their treatment. At the time of Deamonte's death, less than 20 percent of the dentists in his home state of Maryland accepted Medicaid.
Is Medicare an Option?
While a child on Medicaid at least has a chance of getting help with his or her comprehensive dental needs, the same cannot be said for a senior citizen or disabled person who only has Medicare to rely on. This federal program is, in fact, prohibited by act of Congress from paying for dental care except under very specific and limited circumstances. As an example, Medicare will only pay for a tooth extraction if it is a necessary prerequisite to kidney transplant surgery. No preventative or maintenance care is covered.
What About Healthcare Reform?
The crafters of healthcare reform recognized that promoting good oral health from an early age can lead to a lifetime of benefits. As a result, it appears that healthcare reform will have a positive impact on America's low-income children. To this end, the federal government will give more money to Medicaid in every state, and extend the scope of the Children's Health Insurance Program to widen access to dentists and specialists. In addition, healthcare legislation puts a great deal of emphasis on building an infrastructure that will pave the way for preventative care, research, and leadership development in the dental field. The bill even lays the groundwork for a system that will track America's oral health, especially that among pregnant women. Finally, public schools in all states will be given access to grants and initiatives to help their students prevent and manage tooth decay.
The foresight that healthcare reform legislators showed for American children did not, unfortunately, extend to low-income adults seeking affordable dental care. Although all Americans are required to have purchased some form of health insurance by 2014, the same is not true for dental insurance. Therefore, despite the measures that were supposed to promote overall wellness in every American, dental health remains a gaping, unaddressed need.
Discount Dental Plans
When private insurance falls short and public systems fail, discount dental plans can be a light at the end of the tunnel for low-income Americans. For a low monthly fee, patients can gain access to a network of dentists and specialists who provide preventative, maintenance, and emergency oral care to all members of the family at savings of anywhere from 20 to 60 percent of the full cost. Treatment can begin immediately after patients sign up, with no waiting periods, annual maximums, deductibles, or claim forms to file. Although discount plans are not considered to be dental insurance in the traditional sense, they are proving to be a vital link in the affordable dental care safety net. We can only hope that they, in combination with other resources, will one day guarantee affordable and accessible oral healthcare for each and every American.