More states consider ending adult dental Medicaid

May 11, 2009

Faced with severe drops in revenue because of the recession, some U.S. states are considering plans to cut adult dental benefits in their Medicaid programs.

As with so many trends, California appears to be leading the way. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has already won approval from legislators to cut the state's Denti-Cal program, which will affect 3 million adults. The Legislature plans to reconsider the budget this month, giving the program a whisper of a chance.

Meanwhile, state legislatures in Michigan, Rhode Island, Utah, Connecticut, and Nevada are considering similar proposals.

Of course, the idea of no adult benefits isn't new. Some states never have provided them. As of 2007, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy, six states did not cover adult services, and an additional 16 covered only emergency services. Only 25 states, including California, provided coverage to pregnant women for some periodontal services (typically scaling and planing).

As states have interpreted the law so far, dental -- along with optical, chiropractic, and psychological services -- are not required by the federal government, which provides part of the Medicaid money. (States are required to provide dentistry for children.)

California community health clinics have filed a lawsuit arguing that the state must provide for these benefits, at least as offered by the clinics.

In the meantime, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm this month proposed cutting $2.9 million from the state's adult Medicaid program, according to the Michigan Dental Association. The cuts would begin July 1.

In Rhode Island, Gov. Donald Carcieri plans to eliminate dental coverage for an estimated 38,000 parents enrolled in the RIte Care program, also as of July 1, according to the Providence Journal. Eliminating the program would save $525,000 and affect 38,000 parents enrolled in the state's RIte Care program, according to officials. Pregnant women would not be affected.

In Nevada, Gov. Jim Gibbons has also proposed to cut some dental benefits, according to the Las Vegas Sun. But a committee of the legislature, voted to restore the money, the newspaper reported.

Utah, meanwhile, is hoping to save $1.45 million in money for adult dental benefits -- even though the federal government provided more money for the program than last year, according to an article in the Deseret News.

And in Connecticut, adult dental benefits are also on the chopping block, according to Hartford Business.