Post by libby on Jan 25, 2016 19:43:51 GMT -6
CHICAGO — Three out of four children covered by Medicaid in four states didn't receive all required dental care over a recent two-year period, according to a federal report that recommends a government push to improve access to care.
One in four such kids didn't see a dentist at all, the Health and Human Services inspector general's office said Monday. Among the reasons were that there were too few dentists accepting Medicaid patients and a lack of education about the importance of proper dental care.
In 2007, 12-year-old Deamonte Driver of Maryland died from an infection that started in an abscessed tooth, turning national attention to a longstanding economic disparity in children's oral health. Monday's report sends a message that the problem still exists.
Investigators looked at Medicaid dental claims for 2011 and 2012 in four states: California, Indiana, Louisiana and Maryland. The states serve about one-fifth of all children with Medicaid and are thought to be representative of the nation as a whole.
See more: www.sj-r.com/news/20160125/many-children-with-medicaid-not-getting-required-dental-care
One in four such kids didn't see a dentist at all, the Health and Human Services inspector general's office said Monday. Among the reasons were that there were too few dentists accepting Medicaid patients and a lack of education about the importance of proper dental care.
In 2007, 12-year-old Deamonte Driver of Maryland died from an infection that started in an abscessed tooth, turning national attention to a longstanding economic disparity in children's oral health. Monday's report sends a message that the problem still exists.
Investigators looked at Medicaid dental claims for 2011 and 2012 in four states: California, Indiana, Louisiana and Maryland. The states serve about one-fifth of all children with Medicaid and are thought to be representative of the nation as a whole.
See more: www.sj-r.com/news/20160125/many-children-with-medicaid-not-getting-required-dental-care