Dental Coverage: A Case Study

Adults, 65 years old and older and people with disabilities are eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Physician services and hospitalizations are covered by medicare. An additional supplemental program may be purchased to cover prescription drugs. Low income families and children may qualify for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Medicaid has significantly lower copays and out of pocket expenses compared to private insurance. Unemployed individuals may qualify for Medicaid depending on the state.

Each State government individually administers their Medicaid program to fit the needs of the state. Medicaid is available

Medicaid is health insurance that covers low income or no income people and families. There are some people that qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. Due to the Medicaid Expansion (Obamacare), 26 states and the District of Columbia have eased some of the income requirements for Medicaid. Anyone below 138% of the federal poverty level is eligible

As of right now Minnesota, Alaska and Maine are the only states that has mid level dental providers but there are a lot of states in the United States considering or testing them out. A few of the states considering them are Ohio, New York, Florida, as of right now 27 states are trying them out so see how much they help the dental community. Most dental offices that are testing them are in lower income communities trying to reach out to people who may not be able to afford dental services or have never been to a

Medicaid Expansion. States may expand Medicaid eligibility as early as April 1, 2010. Beginning on

Still, not all states are required to expand Medicaid because the Supreme Court left it as an option for each state. In 2017 states can request federal waivers to opt out of requirements such as

Over 130 million Americans do not have dental insurance. On top of that, almost a million emergency room visits last year resulted from preventable oral conditions. Many Americans today are unaware of how the condition of their dentition affects their overall health. Socioeconomic limitations, the lack of dental education in parents, eating habits, and simply the availability of dentists plays a key role in the state of children’s oral health; implementing a universal dental care program will help lower the barriers that many people face when it comes to receiving the dental care they need. The program will target high-risk individuals who are prone to dental caries and provide them with standard

Medicaid is an assistance program that provides medical benefits to low-income individuals. Although the Federal government establishes the general rules for the program, specific requirements are actually established by each State. Whether or not you can be eligible for Medicaid depends on the state where you live. You can choose from Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Louisiana, HMO Louisiana, Humana United Healthcare, and Vantage Health Plan. When you are choosing one of the plans through the carriers, consider what features it offers and how much it costs to see if it is right for you or not.

The socioeconomic background of people is a major factor that dictates whether or not they will receive dental care. According to the American Journal of Public Health, “Children from a low socioeconomic status have been shown to have a high risk of dental caries”(Simmer-Beck 1764). Many children today do not receive the dental care they need because of their parents’ income. Going to the dentist is expensive for people without dental insurance so many people tend to blow it off; but what they don’t realize is that the condition of their mouth often dictates the state of the rest of their health. An internet source in correspondence with the American Journal of Public Health stated that, “More than half of low income-children without

Medicare is a federal program that was created to serve people who are over the age of 65 and don’t have private insurance. There is no financial requirement for Medicare; it is public health insurance offered to anyone over the age of 65. Medicaid is different because it a state and federal program; and there is also the financial aspect to it. In order to be eligible for Medicaid a person must have a low monthly income to receive the subsidized health care plans. A person can be eligible for both and those people receive dual eligibility according to Medicare Interactive (2017). These two programs have served the people in need for over 50 years and the creation of Obamacare has directly affected these programs.

Some families meet the financial qualifications to receive government assistance, but the West Virginia Medicaid program only covers vision care for most adults every three years. Preventive exams are not paid for annually. West Virginia is one of eighteen states that Medicaid will only coverage emergency services for dental care. Preventative care is not covered with Medicaid insurance. (Haney, 2016, July 25, 2017, February 13) The Medicaid expansion program has increased the number of West Virginians on Medicaid. Almost half of the West Virginian population is considered to live in a rural Appalachian area and are more likely to be dependent on Medicaid insurance. West Virginia is the state with the highest percentage of its

Medicaid is government-sponsored for low income families with dependent children and people with disabilities under 65 years old. The coverage, as well as qualification for coverage may, vary by state. Individual can qualify based on family size and income level (Lewis, 2012). If a individual is denied Medicaid because of excess income, he or she may qualify for "Medicaid spend down," which pays medical bills over the excess amount (Lewis, 2012).

2 Certain persons in Florida are eligible for Medicaid. Please post a synopsis of this program. Be sure to include the following:

Medicaid offers health insurance benefits for individuals and families with low income (133% of the FPL). This includes low income: pregnant women, disabled, blind, and aged. Medicaid is administered by the states following federal guidance. Medicaid benefits vary from state to state. Eligibility requirements include being a U.S. citizen, and a resident in the state where benefits are received. In the case of immigrants, one must be in the U.S. for a minimum of five years. Both state and federal governments finance the program. Nursing home care is covered by Medicaid. Depending on the state, none or minimal copays and deductibles are associated with this program.

The Medicaid program differs by state. There are dozens of ways to qualify for this state and federally funded health insurance program. There are Medicaid programs for the low-income, disabled, elderly, children, and long-term care. “Since its inception in 1965, the Medicaid program has evolved to become the largest single source of health coverage in the United States” (Crowley & Golden, 2014). From its beginnings the goal of single payer health care is on a slow roll for all citizens. Some