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3/6/2017 |
Insights |
Dentistry Advocates Aim To Fill Medicare Gaps |
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Dentistry Advocates Aim To Fill Medicare Gaps by Phil Galewitz BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Carolyn Thompson’s tight-lipped smile hides a health care problem the 81-year-old retired nurse can’t afford to correct and Medicare won’t pay for. She needs dentures. Her missing bottom teeth make chewing difficult, so she avoids hard fruits and foods that provide valuable nutrients. Thompson hasn’t seen a dentist in years, even though there’s one where she lives, in the Fair Haven retirement community here. “When I was working I always took care of my teeth, but in the last couple of years — I don’t have the money to pay for it,” said Thompson. Thompson’s predicament is common. About 1 in 5 people 65 and older have untreated tooth decay, federal researchers report. But Medicare rarely covers dental care and fewer than half of elderly Americans see a dentist even once a year — often because they can’t afford to — according to a Johns Hopkins University study published in Health Affairs last year. Just 12 percent of Americans over 65 have dental insurance, that study reported. Dental benefits weren’t recognized as a priority when Medicare was enacted in 1965. Back then, nearly half of Americans ages 65-74 had lost their natural teeth; today, 87 percent in that age group still have some or all of theirs, according to the American Dental Association. Research shows that untreated dental problems can exacerbate health problems such as diabetes and heart disease, leading to costlier bills for Medicare. That’s why a nonprofit think tank devoted to improving oral health is working toward an audacious goal: Medicare-paid dental care for America’s elderly. Read full article on KHN.
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