"Medicaid Expansion: Improving Dental Care for the Poorest Residents in Many States"

Several states, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, Maryland, New Hampshire, and Hawaii, have expanded their Medicaid programs this year to provide dental coverage for adults. Medicaid, the federal and state health insurance program for the poor, typically only requires states to provide dental coverage for children. However, with growing recognition of the economic and health costs of poor dental health, as well as an influx of federal pandemic dollars, these states are now offering dental care to their adult Medicaid recipients. Despite these expansions, access to dental care remains difficult in many states due to dentists refusing to treat Medicaid patients and limited reimbursement rates. The lack of access to dental care has significant costs, both to taxpayers and to those who cannot afford treatment.