Medicaid ensures 80 million Americans, and over 500,000 West Virginians, have access to health care. Importantly,
Medicaid is also a core source of oral health care coverage for families across the country, which is critical to
ensuring overall health and well-being.
Everything Medicaid is under attack and many of the greatest health achievements in the last 15 years are about
to be rolled back.
Medicaid is a critical lifeline to dental care for people with disabilities, kids and families with low incomes. Children enrolled in Medicaid
have guaranteed, comprehensive dental benefits and Medicaid dental benefits are a significant driver of access to dental care for low-income working-age adults and seniors. Medicaid dental coverage also
improves oral health outcomes for adults and children alike.
Additionally, Medicaid dental benefits are a driver of economic health for individuals and states. Adults with
Medicaid dental coverage spend less out-of-pocket on dental care, helping them avoid medical debt and
freeing up resources to meet their basic needs and engage in their local economy. For many adults, being able to
afford dental care could be the key to getting a new job or advancing in their current one. When adults have
Medicaid dental coverage, their job prospects and job performance improve. And adults with good oral health have more job opportunities. The
improved oral health associated with Medicaid dental benefits could save states at least $273
million per year. Medicaid cuts will harm oral health.
According to Gina Sharps, West Virginia Oral Health Coalition executive director, numerous studies show that Medicaid
adult dental coverage lowers overall health care spending on chronic disease management and emergency department
usage. Emergency department visits alone cost an estimated $2.1 billion per year, and research indicates that nearly
79% of these visits could be addressed in a dental office — a potential savings of up to $1.7 billion per
year. It also boosts oral health outcomes for patients and increases employment opportunities.
The high cost of dental care, particularly out-of-pocket costs, remains a major barrier to care. And for many
families, Medicaid is one of the only affordable options to obtain oral health services. It is no wonder that it is
also extremely popular, with over 74% of voters supporting better oral health access in Medicaid. However, adult
dental services in Medicaid are considered “optional” for states and therefore at particular risk for
being cut or scaled back if states lose Medicaid funding.
Current congressional proposals to cut or cap Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for billionaires would threaten the health
and livelihood of tens of thousands of West Virginians. These cuts would lead to devastating dental coverage losses
and ballooning medical debt, of which dental
bills are already a key driver. In general, Medicaid cuts would push good oral health out of reach, causing
avoidable dental problems to become emergencies and costing the health care system millions of
dollars in unnecessary spending.
Reductions in federal Medicaid funding could lead states to roll back Medicaid expansion or cut program eligibility
taking away health care from millions of seniors, kids and low- income adults.
