Michigan Medicaid Program To Eliminate Nonemergency Dental Coverage for Adult Beneficiaries

About 600,000 Michigan Medicaid beneficiaries ages 21 and older beginning Oct. 1 will no longer receive coverage for nonemergency dental services, the Detroit Free Press reports. The Michigan Department of Community Health, which administers the Medicaid program, also will reduce coverage for hearing aids and chiropractic and podiatry services for adult beneficiaries. Department spokesperson Geralyn Lasher said the cuts are a result of budget reductions, and letters will be mailed to beneficiaries notifying them of the benefits changes. In previous years, Medicaid spending for adult dental services has totaled $20 million, and chiropractic and podiatry services have totaled $7 million, according to Lasher. Judith Siegel, an administrator for Dental Care Management clinic, said that the "cutbacks will strain other health providers" because more beneficiaries will seek treatment for dental conditions in emergency departments, the Free Press reports. In addition, advocates for people with disabilities have said the elimination of dental care coverage will negatively affect disabled adults. To address the problem, the Macomb Oakland Regional Center, which administers services for about 4,000 people with developmental disabilities, has launched a campaign called Adopt-A-Smile to encourage dentists to provide free care to people with disabilities, according to the Free Press. Liz Boyd, spokesperson for Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D), said, "We understand the value of the Medicaid dental program, but choices had to be made" (Montemurri, Detroit Free Press, 9/3).