Dental News - AGD urges Congress to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates

Dental Tribune USA

Wed. 25 April 2012

save

CHICAGO, IL, USA: The ABC program “World News With Diane Sawyer” recently aired a segment regarding the need to improve the oral health of underprivileged children on Medicaid, specifically in the state of Florida. In a news release issued after the broadcast, the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) applauded the television program for bringing national attention to the lack of Medicaid funding available to treat children’s oral health.

The AGD is urging the U.S. Congress and state programs to increase the Medicaid money allotted for oral health care.

“The need for improvement in the oral health of the underprivileged is a nationwide epidemic,” said AGD President Howard Gamble, DMD, FAGD. “Dedicated dentists around the country are improving the oral health of Americans through volunteer outreach programs, but that is not enough. Reimbursement rates to dentists need to increase to cover the full cost of the services being provided to each patient.”

In addition to a proposed increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates, a 2008 position paper by the AGD, “White Paper on Increasing Access to and Utilization of Oral Health Care Services,” calls for greater efforts to improve oral health literacy and education, the expansion of water fluoridation, and loan forgiveness programs for dentists working in underserved areas.

“The underprivileged of America deserve quality care by adequately educated professionals,” Dr. Gamble said. “Good oral health is essential to maintain good overall health, and Congress should acknowledge that connection to ensure all Americans receive proper dental treatment.”

(Source: AGD)

To post a reply please login or register

Report shows Denti-Cal reimbursement rates lagging

SACRAMENTO, Calif., USA: A new review of the California’s Denti-Cal program provides further evidence that current rates are insufficient and that ...

US congress urged to fix healthcare workforce

WASHINGTON, US: The American Dental Association (ADA) and 19 other healthcare associations have urged US lawmakers to confront problems facing the domestic...

How to use your dental practice data to increase your treatment acceptance rate

You know that treatment acceptance is a key performance indicator (KPI) for your practice, but do you know why your patients accept, deny and/or follow ...

AGD Foundation awards grants to help increase access to care

CHCAGO, Ill., USA: With the generous support of its 2012 donors, the Academy of General Dentistry Foundation — the philanthropic partner of the ...

ADA calls on Congress to increase funding for Indian Health Service

NEW YORK CITY, NY, USA: The Indian Health Service (IHS), the federal health program in the United States for American Indians and Alaska Natives, is getting...

AGD supports effort to increase awareness of oral cancer

CHICAGO, IL, USA: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 30,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed each year, and ...

Company urges dentists to screen for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea

NEW YORK CITY, NY, USA: It has been estimated that in the United States alone 20 million men, women and children suffer from obstructive ...

Growing burden of malocclusion likely to increase demand for orthodontics supplies

According to a new report by Medi-Tech Insights, the global orthodontic supplies market is expected to grow at a rate of 7 to 9 percent by 2027. The ...

AAO urges its members to take cyber security threats seriously

The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recently informed its members of the urgent threat posed by cyber attacks. Recent news, including the cyber ...

ADA urges dentists to heed April 30 interim postponement recommendation

CHICAGO — The current American Dental Association (ADA) recommendation for dentists to keep their offices closed to all but emergency care expires on ...

Education

Live webinar
Mon. 29 April 2024
12:30 PM EST (New York)