Friday, 18 April 2008
Maryland Expands Dental Care For Low-Income Children
The Maryland General Assembly recently approved broad budget expansions for low-income children’s dental care.
Even in the midst of big spending cuts by the state, the Assembly decided to include millions of dollars in additional state funds to expand dental care, reported the Washington Post.
Part of the reason dental care access for low-income residents is limited is due to low reimbursements for Medicaid patients. Maryland has one of the lowest Medicaid reimbursement rates in the country. Many dentists refuse to accept anyone with Medicaid coverage.
To combat this problem, the budget expansion will incrementally increase dentists’ payments for patients with Medicaid. Along with federal funds, there will be a total of $42 million extra in the budget for Medicaid reimbursements.
Some of the state’s new budget will also help public health clinics provide dental care and create dental programs for students.
In addition to these spending increases, another bill will allow public health hygienists to administer preventive dental care — including cleanings, fluoride treatments, and sealants — without the approval of a dentist.
This will help increase the number of health care professionals that can provide routine dental care.
“It’s just a [better] time and cost-effective mechanism for getting treatment to kids who are underserved,” said Leigh Stevenson Cobb, the health policy director of the Advocates for Children and Youth.
The whole reform plan is in the works, and will soon be implemented.
“Everything we asked for, we got,” said Harry Goodman, from the Maryland state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
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