Effects of Cuts in Medicaid on Dental-Related Visits and Costs at a Safety-Net Hospital

Abstract

We used data from Boston Medical Center, Massachusetts, to determine whether dental-related emergency department (ED) visits and costs increased when Medicaid coverage for adult dental care was reduced in July 2010. In this retrospective study of existing data, we examined the safety-net hospital's dental-related ED visits and costs for 3 years before and 2 years after Massachusetts Health Care Reform. Dental-related ED visits increased 2% the first and 14% the second year after Medicaid cuts. Percentage increases were highest among older adults, minorities, and persons receiving charity care, Medicaid, and Medicare.

Retrospective Analysis of Patients admitted to Emergency Dental Clinic of a Secondary Care Public Hospital in Turkey

“…2 Increased ED use is a health care coverage system problem, which makes it difficult to access regular medical care. Neely et al 11 reported that the reduced number of people with health insurance is associated with increased emergency dental visits as much as 14%. It was also reported that 30.2% of patients admitted to dental emergency services had no insurance, and 21.5% were on Medicaid.…”

Racial/Ethnic Disparity in Utilization of General Dental Care Services Among US Adults: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2012

“…Access to routine dental care has been found to have a significant impact on increased savings in the health care system by reducing both the acute dental care in expensive hospital emergency room settings and the overall medical costs [5][6][7]. Despite a significant upward trend of frequency of regular dental checkup among US adults during the past three decades, many individuals still face barriers to dental care [8][9].…”

Dental Benefits: “Because Medicaid Has, How Do You Call It? A Limit”

“…3 By age group, the greatest percentage increases in ED visits for dental reasons were in persons aged 55-65 years (50%), followed by persons aged 65 years and older (45%). 3 …”

“…2,3 For instance, California removed all but emergency adult benefits in 2009 and restored a subset of these benefits in 2014. 4 Glassman argues that the cycle of removing and restoring benefits has been among the deterrents to dentists providing dental care to low-income adults covered by Medicaid.…”