Medicaid dental coverage has been extended to Nevada adults with intellectual and developmental impairments for the first time.
A federal grant under Title 19 and $2.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) allowed for this growth.
Who is Eligible for Medicaid Expansion?
Dental care is included in Nevada’s Medicaid program for children and young adults as part of the program’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment benefits.
Adults over the age of 21 who qualify for Medicaid can choose to receive dental coverage at no additional cost for services such as emergency treatment and dentures.
The following new offerings are being made:
- Sedation
- Fillings
- Cleaning
- Multiple doctor visits
- Preventative care
- Root canal therapy
The new dental coverage provides up to $2,500 in annual benefits to adults who qualify. To receive a list of Medicaid-accepting dentists in your area, Medicaid recipients should contact their regional center service coordinator through the Aging and Disability Services Division ([email protected]).
Read more: Missouri Legislature Approves Medicaid Expansion For New Mothers
Dentists Are Undertrained To Treat Disabled Patients
There is no legal requirement for dental offices to treat patients with disabilities, many dentists lack the education to treat those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the low reimbursement rates from Medicaid discourage many dental offices from taking the insurance.
However, nearly 60% of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the United States rely on Medicaid for health care coverage, including dental care, according to a 2022 National Council on Disability report on oral health care.
Barriers to access cause health inequalities; for example, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have worse oral hygiene, higher rates of tooth loss, a higher prevalence of periodontal (gum) disease, and more untreated cavities than the general population.
Other difficulties can include being transported from a wheelchair or being safe/comfortable in a dental chair, completing paperwork or using specific toothbrushes, requiring translation aid such as sign language interpreters, and having behavioral tics or reflexes that could cause injury.
Read more: State Attorneys General Urge Medicare To Lift Restrictions On Alzheimer’s Treatments