According to a recent study conducted by the Pew Charitable Trusts, Louisiana is facing a severe shortage of dentists on the same level as Alabama and second only to Mississippi.
This conclusion was made because, “the state Department of Health and Hospitals is cutting reimbursement rates paid to dentists through the government-funded Medicaid program with the July 1 start of the new budget year, a move that dentists say will shrink access to services” according to an article on NBCNews.com.
As a result, over 24% of Louisiana’s population is underserved by dentists or living in an area with a dentist shortage. Department Health officials are concerned this problem will only become exacerbated in the future because approximately 42% of dentists in Louisiana are at least 55 and older and thus nearing retirement.
There are more than a few dentists who fear the $2.8 million reduction in Medicaid payments will limit many individuals’ (especially children’s) access to routine services. Why cut funding on Medicaid programs, when low-income families rely on it for basic preventative dental care?
According to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathy Kliebert, the 3% cut to rates dentists are paid for taking care of Medicaid patients should not in fact prevent dentists from giving care to the poor. She also says that the payment cut is minor compared to ‘neighboring states’ — meaning Alabama and Mississippi, the two other states in the nation suffering from dental care shortages.
Some dentists are outraged, like New Orleans based pediatric dentist Dr. Edward Donaldson who said in a statement to NBC:
“What they’ve selected is two of the sorriest states in reimbursement rates to compare us: Mississippi and Alabama. What is our standard going to be? To get us to the bottom of the barrel?”
In support of Dr. Donaldson, this study and previous ones have provided evidence supporting the fact that early preventative dental care is necessary to avoid serious dental problems later in life as well as emergency room visits. In the end, this Medicaid payment cut could cost more for everyone in the long run.
Dr. Mike Malone and his team practice expert cosmetic dentistry in Lafayette, LA. Dr. Malone is the former president and current accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is also the official Cosmetic Dentist of the Miss Louisiana USA and Miss Louisiana Teen USA pageants. Check out his website for more information.