“As Americans debate medical coverage, the problem of our teeth has remained almost entirely unaddressed,” reports the New York Times. About 114 million Americans don’t have dental insurance—more than double those who didn’t have health insurance before the Affordable Care Act.
Many in the health field are questioning why the issue of dental health is neglected, considered by some to be a luxury, and not thought of as part of overall medical health. The reality is poor oral health—whether it be from traumatic injury or not receiving preventative care—can lead to very serious problems in the rest of the body, including increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and lower birth weights among pregnant women.
What’s more, emergency room visits for dental problems cost the U.S. health care system an estimated $1.6 billion a year.
According to the New York Times articles, Obamacare doesn’t require plans to include dental coverage for adults, and Medicaid has no required adult dental benefits, so coverage varies by state.
Some nonprofits, schools, and clinics are trying to help those who don’t have coverage and can’t afford dental health care, but it’s nowhere near enough to address the problem.
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: “Our Teeth Are Making Us Sick”
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