Cost—and lack of coverage—is the biggest reason older Americans don’t go to the dentist. According to a New York Times article, fewer than half of Medicare beneficiaries have visited a dentist in the past year.
Many neglect their dental health when they retire and lose employer dental insurance (if they ever had it at all) because Medicare doesn’t provide dental care, except for certain medical conditions, the article reported.
Even fewer with lower incomes are going to the dentist. Medicaid covers only limited procedures, at reimbursement rates so low that many dentists don’t accept Medicaid patients at all.
This, despite the fact that preventive care lowers overall dental costs in the long run. According to one source, “Though older people who receive preventive care like cleanings make more office visits, their care costs significantly less overall because they are less likely to develop problems requiring expensive treatments like root canals.”
While people today generally have better dental health as they age than in past generations, they naturally continue to have more dental issues with age: Over time gums recede and teeth decay, old dental work needs to be replaced, and some medications can affect oral health.
Dentists are exploring many creative solutions to the problem, ranging from treating patients on sliding-fee scales to tapping government grants and philanthropic funds. In some states that allow it, dental hygienists and dental therapists treat patients for certain procedures at lower costs. Dental school programs can also help patients in need.
Transparency in dental-care cost would go a long way toward helping the uninsured get the care they need—because it would enable them to price-shop for the most affordable care. Healthclx.com delivers that transparency, uncovering the hidden costs of healthcare and putting it online for consumers who already seek price information before making nearly every other purchase. Healthclx empowers patients to make smart decisions about their health and their money.
Source –
New York Times: “With Age Comes a Mouthful of Trouble“
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