The end of the Public Health Emergency in 2023 has led to a decrease in enrollment for dental benefits, according to the 2024 Dental Benefits Report from the National Association of Dental Plans.
Five notes:
1. Dental benefits enrollment dropped to 87% of the U.S. population in 2023, a 1% decrease from the year before.
2. Medicare Advantage and Supplemental plans and commercially available dental PPO plans all saw an increase in enrollment in 2023.
3. The decline can mostly be attributed to the Medicaid redetermination process, the NADP said.
4. The redetermination process resulted in an 8.8% decrease in Medicaid eligibility, and a 1.1% decline in enrollment for publicly funded dental programs.
5. Medicare enrollment increased by 20.7%, underscoring the demand for dental benefits among older Americans, NADP Executive Director Mike Adelberg said Dec. 11.