The Connecticut State Dental Association (CSDA) is concerned about Medicaid reimbursement rates, and is asking Gov. Ned Lamont for help.
On Jan. 24, the President of the CSDA, Dr. R Steve Hall, sent a letter to Lamont about a “pressing access-to- care crisis within our state’s Medicaid dental program.”
Hall, who claimed to speak on behalf of the 3,427 licensed dentists in the state, said that low Medicaid reimbursement rates are causing less doctors to treat Medicaid patients and discouraging Husky Health recipients from seeking dental care.
“While we understand the enormous fiscal pressure our state faces to fund the state pension program and applaud your Administration’s efforts to address the neglect of that program, where there were no state contributions for four decades, and inadequate contributions until recent years,” the letter states. “However, continuing to stick to strict financial guardrails prioritizes pensions over critical medical care of our citizens, care that they deserve, and which is essential to their overall health.”
When it comes to dental care, there are 29 underserved populations in Connecticut, and 40 dental professional shortage areas.
Source: Dentists raise alarm about Medicaid reimbursements / Inside Investigator