It is estimated that 108 million Americans have no dental insurance.
When we talk about the successes and shortcomings of the Affordable Care Act, and health care in the U.S. in general, little attention is given to dental care. While the ACA defines dental coverage as an essential benefit for those under 18, insurers aren’t required to offer dental coverage for adults. Medicare, the nation’s largest insurer, doesn’t cover routine dental work. And coverage for adults through Medicaid varies from state to state.
It is estimated that 108 million Americans have no dental insurance, and that one in four nonelderly Americans has untreated tooth decay.
Oral health isn’t just about nice teeth. As the surgeon general noted in a 2000 report, oral health is intimately connected to general health and can be implicated in or exacerbate diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and complications during pregnancy.
The absence of comprehensive dental care exacts a toll on millions of Americans in terms of poor health, pain and the social stigma associated with bad teeth.
People desperately need dental care.
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good question. poor teeth = heart disease
ReplyDeleteHey, I know! Let's just whip up 27,000 pages of legislation and pass it so we can see what's in it! There might just be something about requiring everyone to buy dental insurance!
ReplyDeleteGosh! I should have been born a Democrat! LOL!
Blame the insurance companies. No profit motive = no coverage.
ReplyDeleteWHAT THE HECK? Why does ANYONE think the government should be responsible for YOUR health care are dental care.
ReplyDeleteThe most fundamental thing each and every person IS responsible for is THEIR OWN CARE!
should be under health care insurance seems you havent been to the dentist lately or you have too much money. most people cant afford dental with insurance
DeleteI have to totally agree with you. Healthy teeth play a large part of your overall health. With out dental insurance who can afford the cost of dental work/ Whether it be cleanings or restoring the tooth. A disabled person, due to poor diet and being assaulted a person can be looking at over $2000.00 to have teeth extracted and denture placed. How does someone do that???
ReplyDeleteWhat most everyone forgets is that the true villains are the lawyers and insurance companies. Dental and medical care was affordable in the fifties and sixties. As lawyers started suing doctors and insurance companies began raising costs to cover the lawsuits, the upwards spiral began. You can go to countries like Costa Rica and get the same procedures done for a third of the cost by US trained/certified doctors and dentists.
ReplyDeleteYes but obama care did not address the two big issues litigation, tort reform and drug prices. It very obvous CVS has a big benefit in the fine print.
ReplyDeleteHealth insurance doesn't even cover Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMD, TMJ). Never has. They consider it a dental procedure????? It's a jawbone joint disorder, has nothing to do with teeth. I've had that for 30 years and could not afford the surgery to correct it. But I have always paid for health insurance btw.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought it was ridiculous that vision and dental insurance are separate from your regular medical insurance. Your eyes and teeth are in the same body as the rest of your organs. One policy should cover it all.
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ReplyDeleteHave used several local dentists over last 30 years. They know what your insurance will pay for and how much, and then push for services that will max out the bills. Left one over this approach, and looking closely at leaving the present one over more of the same.
The office staff are like service advisers at a car dealer!