Oral health and low-income nonelderly adults: a review of coverage and access
- Collection:
- Health Policy and Services Research
- Series Title(s):
- Policy brief (Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured)
- Author(s):
- Licata, Rachel, author Paradise, Julia, author
- Contributor(s):
- Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, issuing body. Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, issuing body.
- Publication:
- Washington, DC : Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, June 2012
- Language(s):
- English
- Format:
- Text
- Subject(s):
- Dental Care Dental Health Services Oral Health United States United States.
- Genre(s):
- Technical Report
- Abstract:
- Oral health is an important factor in overall health for people of all ages, yet millions of adults lack access to affordable and regular dental care. Untreated oral health conditions can lead to pain and tooth loss that can lower the quality of life as well as jeopardize employment. Research has also identified associations between poor oral health and other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart and lung disease, and stroke. Despite large strides in improving oral health care since the 1970s, gaps and disparities in access and care persist. Low-income individuals and families, as well as racial and ethnic minorities, are disproportionately affected by oral health problems. The lack of resources to pay for dental services, either through dental insurance or out-of-pocket, is a major barrier to oral health care for many low-income Americans. The problem is particularly acute for low-income adults, who are more likely to be uninsured than low-income children because Medicaid eligibility is much more limited for low-income adults than for children, and because low-income adults also lack access to private health insurance. In many states, adults who do qualify for Medicaid lack dental benefits. Adult dental benefits in Medicaid are offered at state option, and states often limit their coverage to extractions or other emergency dental services only. When states face budget pressures, adult dental services in Medicaid are among the first targets of cutbacks. Finally, private health insurance frequently does not cover dental services, and when plans do cover dental care, cost-sharing can be high. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), millions of uninsured adults will gain health coverage through a broad expansion of Medicaid, and through subsidies for private insurance purchased through new health insurance Exchanges. While this expansion of coverage promises to improve access to health care for low-income adults, the large gaps in access to dental care for adults will remain largely unaddressed. Under the ACA, the "essential health benefits" that, beginning in 2014, must be covered by all qualified health plans, and by Medicaid "benchmark benefits" for those newly eligible for Medicaid, include oral health care for children, but not for adults. Thus, while millions of adults will gain health insurance, many will still be without coverage for oral health care.
- Copyright:
- Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY license. (More information)
- Extent:
- 1 online resource (1 PDF file (7 pages))
- Illustrations:
- Illustrations
- NLM Unique ID:
- 101591364 (See catalog record)
- Permanent Link:
- http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101591364