1 / 10

Medicare for All What does it mean for dentistry?

This article explores the implications of integrating dental care into a Medicare for All system, tackling issues such as access, cost, and health outcomes. It discusses the potential benefits and challenges for dentists in a universal healthcare model, emphasizing the importance of oral health in overall well-being.

sriley
Download Presentation

Medicare for All What does it mean for dentistry?

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Medicare for AllWhat does it mean for dentistry? Ed Weisbart, MD, CPE, FAAFP Physicians for a National Health Program Chair, MO Chapter

  2. America Really Wants Dentists Non-partisan. Non-political. Non-policy. Just clinical work.

  3. Medicare for All Needs Dentistry Examples of problems potentially exacerbated by poor dentition • Coronary Artery Disease • Diabetes • End Stage Renal Disease • Preterm Labor • Pneumonia • Alzheimer’s Disease • Depression • Falls • Isolation • Emergency Department use • Skilled Nursing Facility use • Greater dependence on family caregivers https://ubcmj.med.ubc.ca/ubcmj-volume-7-issue-1/dental-care-in-canada-the-need-for-incorporation-into-publicly-funded-health-care/dental-care-in-canada-the-need-for-incorporation-into-publicly-funded-health-care/ https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2018/jan/how-medicare-could-provide-dental-vision-and-hearing-care

  4. Lack of Dental Access Is Tragic and Expensive Commonwealth Fund ADA CDC 70% of Medicare beneficiaries who had trouble eating because of their teeth did not go to a dentist in the past year. • At $749 per visit, Emergency Department dental visits cost the USA $1.6 Billion in 2012. • Oral health problems cost the USA $6 Billion in productivity A health system that under-treats dental problems will have worse outcomes and higher costs https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2018/jan/how-medicare-could-provide-dental-vision-and-hearing-care https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/basics/index.html https://www.statnews.com/2017/07/17/dentistry-medicine-division/ http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Science%20and%20Research/HPI/Files/HPIBrief_0415_2.ashx

  5. Both Bills Include “Oral Health” HR 676 Unchanged since 2003 SB 1804 Introduced 2017 • “The full scope of dental services, services, including periodontics, oral surgery, and endodontics, but not including • cosmetic • dentistry.” • 102(a)11 • “Oral health, audiology, and vision services.” • 201(a)(9) Now is the time for dentists to weigh in on the benefit design

  6. Both Bills Include “Oral Health” Many open issues. Take a stand! Exclude Dental Insurance Design Practice Impact • Wrong side of history • For many, dental is more popular than medical coverage • Model after Part A? B? C? D? Which? • Benefit design of prevention, extraction, and…? • Annual $ max? Why? • Less admin load • Less bad debt • More patients = more upsells beyond basic covered benefits

More Related