Chillicothe
Gazette...
‘Optional’ Medicaid
services are critical, cost-effective
Jun 9, 2011
Ohio’s policymakers have had to make many tough choices during
deliberations about the state’s budget. In this challenging
environment, Gov. John Kasich and members of the House of
Representatives should be applauded for recommending “optional”
Medicaid services, such as dental, vision and podiatric care for
adults, continue to be made available to our most vulnerable citizens.
This policy decision not only is the right thing to do to ensure the
continued health of under-served populations, it also is a sound
budgetary decision.
Kasich and legislative leaders have recognized the cost-effectiveness
of providing access to preventive care, like dental services, to
Medicaid recipients. Providing continued access to a dentist or other
primary care provider will help save the state money in the long term
by eliminating future costly hospital emergency room visits.
For example, many of the dental services provided in the adult dental
Medicaid program are emergency services. In 2009, dentists performed
348,000 extractions, 475,000 restorations and almost 32,000 root canals
for adult Medicaid recipients. That is more than 850,000 procedures
performed as a result of dental pain, infection and decay. Many of the
patients suffering with these afflictions will present to the hospital
emergency room for treatment if they can no longer receive services in
private dental offices or dental clinics.
Hospital emergency room costs for a Medicaid recipient seeking
treatment for an oral health issue can exceed $400 for an examination,
X-rays, prescriptions for pain and infection and other services. Most
hospitals are not equipped to provide dental treatment so patients
might receive prescriptions for pain medication and antibiotics, but
the underlying oral condition remains untreated. This increases the
likelihood of multiple return visits. Further, a hospital admission for
a dental-related problem increases costs exponentially, potentially
costing the state several thousand dollars. By contrast, an extraction
of a problem tooth in a dental office costs Medicaid just $52, of which
the state’s share is around $20.
Kasich’s budget proposal reflects an understanding that “optional”
services are part of primary care and promote prevention and positive
health outcomes for Ohioans through care coordination. Many times,
serious systemic health issues like heart disease and diabetes can be
linked with dental, vision and podiatric health concerns.
Oral health care in particular is integral to overall health. So in
addition to providing cost savings, the dental Medicaid program also
plays an integral role in disease management. For example, individuals
with diabetes are more likely to have periodontal disease than those
without diabetes. Research shows that when periodontal infections were
treated, the management of the patients’ diabetes markedly improved.
Providing coverage for dental services allows dentists to identify and
treat dental disease in the most effective manner possible. According
to the Ohio Department of Health, life-threatening cancers of the mouth
and throat are detected in three Ohioans every day. Additionally,
Medicaid patients are generally in need of more substantive dental work
(extractions, restorative work and dental surgery) that only dentists
are trained to perform. It is critical for patients to have access to a
dentist for the purpose of obtaining a diagnosis and development of an
effective and efficient treatment plan.
Maintaining “optional” Medicaid services in the state budget is the
right thing to do for Ohio. Continuance of these critical services is
important to improving the health of our most vulnerable populations
and helps promote cost savings in the Medicaid system during difficult
budgetary times.
David J. Owsiany, J.D., is the executive director of the Ohio Dental
Association.
Read it at the Chillicothe Gazette
Related News & Opinion...
News
Columbus Dispatch, Budget Analysis… Read it here
Toledo Blade, Harsh Cuts… Read it here
Newark Advocate, Lawmaker Pay Cut… Read it here
Columbus Dispatch, Prevailing Wage… Read it here
Dayton Daily News, JobsOhio Changed… Read it here
Blogs
Columbus Dispatch, Kasich Cleaned It Up… Read it here
Dayton Daily News, Tax Breaks Not Free… Read it here
Chillicothe Gazette, Optional Medicaid… Read it here
Representatatives
From the Senate Majority Caucus… Read it here
Senator Faber's Comments... Read it here
Senator Beagle's Comments... Read it here
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