Fourteen states have done work to improve dental coverage for residents under Medicaid so far this year, the American Dental Association said June 29.
Four notes:
1. The fourteen states are: Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia.
2. In addition to the 14 states that have already passed legislation, three others have legislation pending to expand Medicaid dental benefits: Hawaii, Michigan and New Hampshire.
3. The changes differed in each state, with some increasing reimbursements for services and others extending coverage to include comprehensive care instead of just emergency services.
4. The changes were made possible by a number of factors, including expanded federal COVID-19 relief funding that led to surpluses in several states' budgets for the 2021-22 legislative season, the ADA said.