The Crisis
Cause
To incentivize access to dental care the State of Maryland has increased certain rates for dentists to reflect almost 50% of the ADA’s MidAtlantic Region average CHARGES. Overall spending for the Medicaid Dental care program rose from $40 million in 2007 to $165 million in 2015.Effect
Hospitals in Maryland have experienced a dramatic escalation of restorative pediatric dental surgery (PDS) procedures among children on Medicaid.
Solution
Action must be taken now by Maryland's residents and its legislature to hold Maryland Medicaid responsible for not honoring the 2014 mandate to increase payment for physician anesthesiologists. Statistics
PDS Case Increases
Anesthesia groups have experienced up to a 700% increase in PDS cases from 2009 to 2012, resulting in a shift in their case mix from 2/3 private pay to 2/3 Medicaid.
Dentist Rate Increases
In 2009 the DAC raised dentists’ rates to almost 50% of the American Dental Association’s average charges.
Overall Spending Increases
Overall spending for the Medicaid Dental care program rose from $40 million in 2007 to $165 million in 2015.
Cost of Care Increases
The cost of the care provided by an entire team of 2 doctors and a nurse far exceeds their combined payment of approximately $225.
Deamonte Driver
Aged 12
In 2007, a young boy named Deamonte Driver died due to inadequate access to dental care. Spurred by this tragedy, in 2009 the DAC substantially increased dental provider reimbursement rates in an attempt to improve access to dental care for low-income children. This rate increase has incentivized a greater number of dentists to provide care to the pediatric Medicaid population, and has resulted in as much as a 700% increase in medicaid pediatric dental surgery.
And now, hospital anesthesia departments are forced to divert resources from all departments, including obstetrics and emergency coverage to handle this undercompensated Medicaid case volume. This anesthesia coverage crisis has resulted in safety and access concerns for all patients, not just those covered by medicaid.
Whose life will it cost before Maryland Medicaid finally upholds its side of the bargain?
These Doctors have chosen a career in medicine to help children and families like yours... so your family doesn't have to endure the pain Deamonte’s family still experiences. But they can’t do it alone...
Maryland must act now.
Action is now to insure Physician Anesthesiologists are there... when you need them.
And now, hospital anesthesia departments are forced to divert resources from all departments, including obstetrics and emergency coverage to handle this undercompensated Medicaid case volume. This anesthesia coverage crisis has resulted in safety and access concerns for all patients, not just those covered by medicaid.
Whose life will it cost before Maryland Medicaid finally upholds its side of the bargain?
These Doctors have chosen a career in medicine to help children and families like yours... so your family doesn't have to endure the pain Deamonte’s family still experiences. But they can’t do it alone...
Maryland must act now.
Action is now to insure Physician Anesthesiologists are there... when you need them.
