Idaho Cuts Dental Coverage for Medicaid Beneficiaries

Beginning this month, Idaho's Medicaid program will no longer cover dental services for adult beneficiaries, except in emergencies, the Spokane Spokesman-Review reports. The state cut the benefit in an effort to save about $2 million per year under the program. Even before the dental benefits were cut, Idaho Medicaid beneficiaries faced difficulties accessing services, the Spokesman-Review reports. The state has about 700 dentists to care for 133,000 Medicaid beneficiaries, and many of those providers did not accept Medicaid patients because they said reimbursement rates did not cover their costs. Gov. Dirk Kempthorne (R) said he will ask the state Legislature to "reconsider" the benefit cut next year. Bill Foxcroft, director of the Idaho Primary Care Association, which represents community health centers, said, "We made clear our concern (to the governor) that once it becomes a cut it becomes permanent, and he made it clear that's not his intent" (Drumheller, Spokane Spokesman-Review, 4/24).