The Michigan Dental Association today condemned the needless death of a mentally impaired woman from northern Michigan who was unable to have her dangerously infected teeth extracted before the state’s July 1 cutoff of adult dental Medicaid benefits.
“We join Michigan citizens in expressing our sincere condolences to this woman’s family,” said Dr. William Wright, a Jackson dentist and MDA president. “But at the same time, we recognize that the situation demands much more than condolences: The state must restore adult dental Medicaid benefits.”
Northern Michigan residents were among about 600,000 people statewide to lose adult dental Medicaid benefits when Gov. Jennifer Granholm issued an executive order cutting the program, in an effort to balance the 2009 state budget. Lawmakers did not restore funding in the 2010 budget, which started Oct. 1.
Elimination of adult dental benefits has caused the state’s fragile system of care to unravel. Dentists at Dental Clinics North had offered to donate surgical services to treat the woman, but the Medicaid program initially determined that it would not cover the $5,000 hospital costs related to the procedure. The patient’s disabilities required that her teeth be extracted in a hospital. She died Oct. 7.
“Access to basic dental care is essential for the health and well-being of our neediest citizens,” Wright said. “Moreover, it ensures taxpayers aren’t saddled with the unnecessary cost of expensive late-stage treatment for health problems that could have been addressed with a simple dental visit.
“Michigan’s dental professionals are once again calling on the Michigan Legislature to restore adult dental Medicaid benefits as quickly as possible,” Wright said.
With just $5 million in state funds, the adult dental Medicaid program secures more than $21 million in federal funds, enabling Michigan to provide a critical program in a fiscally responsible fashion.
“While the state’s financial crisis has necessitated many painful cuts, this death underscores the price our citizens are paying,” Wright said. “Restoring adult dental Medicaid simply makes good sense, both fiscally and morally.”
Every year, members of the Michigan Dental Association donate more than $2 million in care to Michigan’s most vulnerable citizens.
In addition, some 280,000 Medicaid-eligible children receive dental care in 61 of Michigan’s 83 counties, through the Healthy Kids Dental program.
The MDA also has created the Michigan Access to Oral Health Care Work Group, which is researching ways to increase access to dental care for more Michigan residents. A report is expected early next year.