Friday, December 12, 2014

Friday Dental Download: December 12, 2014


This week we discuss why some believe the Affordable Care Act isn’t doing enough for dental plans, learn what South Carolina is doing to improve the oral health of all its citizens, and discover that good healthcare for kids depends on where you live. Don’t forget to check out our new blog series, Why it Matters to Me. Join the conversation on Twitter using #FridayDentalDL.

1. Shortchanged in ACA, dentists hope exchanges can boost coverage: The Affordable Care Act impacts health care providers of all types, but dentists were largely disappointed by its shortcomings in expanding dental coverage. While the ACA deemed dental benefits "essential," requiring insurers to offer dental plans to children up to age 18, the law did not mandate that those plans be purchased, and insurers don't have to offer the same plans for adults. But on the positive side, Dr. Anthony Giamberardino, president of the Massachusetts Dental Society, believes state and federal health care exchanges, the marketplaces where consumers can shop for health and dental insurance, have made people more aware of available dental plans, which could prompt more people to buy coverage.

2. Dental gap: Coverage slips through reform's cracks: Dental care is a peculiar niche of the U.S. healthcare system. Even though teeth and gums are just as much part of the human body as kidneys or elbows, they are insured differently—a lot differently. The question becomes how much the law has done to advance dental care. Not enough, some advocates argue. The Affordable Care Act mandated pediatric dental services as one of the 10 essential health benefits for health plans, but adult dental services were excluded.

3. SC's Healthy Connections program supports oral health: South Carolina's new Medicaid adult dental program emphasizes prevention. That's important because dental problems -- cavities and gum disease – are largely preventable if caught early. We salute the state of South Carolina for the bold steps it has taken to ensure eligible adults have the opportunity for good oral health.

4. How Good Is Healthcare for Kids? Depends on Your ZIP Code: The Department of Health and Human Services has allowed states to choose from a menu of benchmark plans, instead of establishing a federal gold standard for children's health (a decision that runs contrary to the recommendations from the Institute of Medicine). For example, a child with autism or a stuttering problem might fare better or worse depending on where he or she lives. The only way to remedy these problems is for HHS to revise the current essential benefits plan and bar treatment limits and exclusions for children, especially those related to disability or other developmental health conditions.


5. What your teeth are trying to tell you: Statistics show periodontal disease affects over 85 percent of the population. But there's more to your mouth than tooth decay and gum disease. There are some secrets your teeth could be trying to tell you.