Medicaid

[au5233]

hey Guys,

so I hope this doesn't sound too stupid but I was wondering if someone could fill me in with how exactly dental coverage is dealt with in the US. I'm Canadian so I'm really not too sure. I see that some people feel Medicaid is a major issue for dentistry right now -- but why? Does everyone have dental coverage, or is it only those who have insurance plans like Medicaid? And do you receive dental coverage through employment? And what is Medicaid doing -- are they cutting dental coverage or just not covering certain people...?If someone could fill me in with the way it is in the US, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks guys.

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[sonylarkhi]

hey Guys,

so I hope this doesn't sound too stupid but I was wondering if someone could fill me in with how exactly dental coverage is dealt with in the US. I'm Canadian so I'm really not too sure. I see that some people feel Medicaid is a major issue for dentistry right now -- but why? Does everyone have dental coverage, or is it only those who have insurance plans like Medicaid? And do you receive dental coverage through employment? And what is Medicaid doing -- are they cutting dental coverage or just not covering certain people...?If someone could fill me in with the way it is in the US, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks guys.

Medicaid is a form of government funded dental insurance which provides dental care for those with lower incomes. There are also private insurances which are normally through employment or school. The fee reimbursements that medicaid provides is relatively low compared to private insurances so not many private dentists accept that insurance. There is still a large portion of the American population who lack medicaid and/or private insurance therefore their opportunity for dental care is limited because of high out-of-pocket fees. Hope this helps.

 

[CaliGirl15]

I work as a receptionist for a dental office that does take it, and let me tell you it pays almost NOTHING and thats why most dentists don't take it. It's an unfortunate situation.

 

[Montserrat]

One of the reasons why Medicaid is a major issue for a lot of dentists, is because depending on where you live, most of your patients will be enrolled in Medicaid. Medicaid policies vary by state, but they often limit the payment and type of procedures done per visit. This might give you a good idea of how it affects dentists who choose to practice in a urban, low income area. It really is a headache to deal with, because dentists make money two ways: 1, see more patients, and/or 2, charge more per procedure. Because Medicaid accepting dentists in an urban area are earning less per patient, they must see more patients on average to stay afloat. Working too fast, on too many patients ... is not good for the standard of the profession.

 

[au5233]

Thanks guys for taking the time to go over that with me --- I appreciate it. Best of luck as always!

Cheers