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Policy Action Plan: Illinois Smiles

Policy Action Plan: Illinois Smiles. Sodabeh Etminan HPA 430. Policy Issue.

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Policy Action Plan: Illinois Smiles

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  1. Policy Action Plan:Illinois Smiles Sodabeh Etminan HPA 430

  2. Policy Issue • As of July 1st, 2012, the state of Illinois cut its adult Medicaid dental services to only cover extractions that are performed on the same day as the radiograph and limited exam. Evidence has shown that neglected dental problems end up costing the state more in the long run due to serious complications that may arise (Cohen, 2012). Poor oral health can lead to other health issues like diabetes, lung disease, heart disease, and stroke (NHANES, 2004). Cohen, L., Manski, R., Magder, L., Mullins, CD., (2012). Dental visits to hospital emergency departments by adults receiving Medicaid: Assessing their use. JADA. 133(6): 715-724. Pew Report. (2012). http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/State_policy/Pew_Report_A_Costly_Dental_Destination.pdf

  3. Raising awareness • Provide a concise plan for dentists and use their numbers to also raise awareness. Dentists are unsure of what is on the table during legislative sessions, and maybe if they knew who to contact and what to discuss, their elected officials would pay more attention to the plan. I would encourage them to share the information with their patients, who can also call their elected officials regarding services covered.

  4. Other states with similar dental coverage • In the state of Washington, which does not provide comprehensive adult coverage, fifty four thousand dental-related visits to the emergency room cost the state $36 million over an 18-month time span (Thompson, 2013). • In the state of Florida, it cost $88 million dollars for the 115,000 dental-related emergency room visits in 2010. This is about $765 per visit, and the tooth was not even treated. The additional cost of going to the dentist to permanently treat the tooth must also be added (Emergency Dental, 2013). Thomspon, L., Phillips, C. (2013). Restoring state adult dental care would save money, improve care. http://www.theolympian.com/2013/04/02/2479210/restoring-state-adult-dental-care.html#storylink=cpy. Emergency Dental. (2013). http://www.emergencydental.com/avoid-er-for-dental-emergencies/

  5. More examples from other states… • In Arizona, taxpayers were responsible for a major portion of dental-related emergency room costs. In 2005, about 46% of the state’s emergency room visits for dental reasons were made by Medicaid enrollees (Pew, 2012). • In a neighboring state, Wisconsin, emergency room visits cost the state $7 million in 2009 (Pew, 2012). • In South Carolina, the cost of hospital treatment of a tooth is $236, which only covers palliative treatment, and not actual dental treatment. This means the pain and infection can return if the tooth is not eventually treated properly at a dental office. The same cost of treatment at a dental office is $107, which is not only cheaper, but is also a permanent solution to the problem (Office for Healthcare SC, 2012). Pew Report. (2012). http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/State_policy/Pew_Report_A_Costly_Dental_Destination.pdf

  6. Policy Entry Point • The entry point would be at the state level, since they are the ones responsible for the cuts to dental services. Although federally, the state gets assistance in the form of funds-matching, they are the ones ultimately responsible for the services offered.

  7. Policy Paramours • John G. Mulroe is the chairperson of the Illinois’ public health committee and Mattie Hunter (also Majority whip) is the vice-chair person. • The other members of the committee are: Napoleon Harris III, Kwame Raoul, Heather Steans, Patricia Van Pelt, Dave Syverson, Darin LaHood, and Jim Oberweis.

  8. Other interested parties • American Dental Association: www.ada.org • Chicago Dental Society: www.cds.org • Illinois State Dental Society: www.isds.org • Dent-IL PAC: http://www.isds.org/lawslegislation/dent-il-pac/index.asp

  9. Marketing and messaging • This marketing strategy is geared more towards policy makers and elected officials, since they are the ones who ultimately decide what is and is not covered by state Medicaid services.

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