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States have not been able to narrow Medicaid eligibility as much as they have wanted and in response to this they are finding other ways to cut costs (Ubezpieczenie Olsztyn). One way they are going about this is to slash dental health insurance benefits for Medicaid recipients which is affecting overall oral health in this country. Abby Goodnoughs article on The New York Times talks about the impact this shift is having and how health care reform may impact this ongoing trend. States throughout the nation have reduced or completely eliminated dental benefits from their Medicaid programs. This state and federally shared program for the poor is an important part of our health care system and many believe it should be comprehensive which would include full dental benefits. According to the article, the situation will not likely change under President Obamas health care reform because his plan only requires dental coverage for children. Most recently Illinois cut their dental benefits from Medicaid drastically. Governor Pat Quinn cut $1.6 billion out of the $15 billion Medicaid budget partly through reducing adult dental coverage to emergency tooth extractions only. Illinois used to have a reputation for having one of the best Medicaid plans, but theyve even made cuts to vision benefits, chiropractic care, and podiatry coverage. Theyve even started to require copays for drugs. In about half of the nation, Medicaid is only covering dental care for emergency situations and pain relief based on a report from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. Some states do cover preventative exams and cleanings but not fillings or root canals. Massachusetts has struggled with the dental benefits situation for awhile as they have removed benefits and added them back in. They recognize the importance of dental health, not only to overall well-being but having acceptable front teeth is often crucial in obtaining a job and getting more people off of Medicaid. The president-elect of the Massachusetts Dental Society is disappointed Massachusetts hasnt fully restored dental benefits but points out that even partial restoration coverage is helpful during these tough times. Because of dropped coverages, more and more Medicaid patients are turning to community health centers to treat their dental problems. The Lynn Community Health Center in the Boston area has a high demand that just keeps growing as benefits have been dropped from Medicaid. States and Medicaid recipients are in a tricky situation at this point. States feel they cannot afford to keep on such benefits including dental care, but Medicaid recipients truly do need comprehensive coverage to stay healthy and help them get back on their feet. Even in states where Medicaid offers good dental coverage, finding a dentist who accepts Medicaid can be extremely challenging. Dentists can typically get much higher payments from non-Medicaid patients and they are more likely to fill their practice with patients willing to pay more.