States and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Can do More to Improve Children’s Access to Dental Services, According to GAO
October 9, 2009
States and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Can do More to Improve Children’s Access to Dental Services, According to GAO
While federal and state efforts to improve access to dental services for children covered under Medicaid have increased, more needs to be done according to congressional testimony by a representative of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on October 7, 2009. GAO conducted Web-based surveys for all 50 states and the District of Columbia and conducted interviews with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) officials, dental associations and other key stakeholders to examine 1) state strategies to monitor and improve access to dental care for children in Medicaid and 2) CMS actions since 2007 to improve oversight of Medicaid dental services for children. It was reported that nearly all states had implemented strategies to improve access to Medicaid dental services, such as simplifying claims processing and recruiting providers, but persistent barriers remain – low provider participation rates, administrative burdens and insufficient funding. To strengthen oversight of Medicaid and dental services for children, CMS has conducted a series of focused dental reviews in 17 states; established an Oral Health Technical Advisory Group and published a dental policy document; and taken steps to improve communications with states and stakeholders. However, states say additional guidance and collaboration is needed from CMS.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office has made four recommendation to CMS to improve the agency’s monitoring of state Medicaid dental services for children and to help states improve children’s access to Medicaid dental services: 1) develop a plan to review dental services for Medicaid children in all states with low utilization rates; 2) ensure that states found to have inadequate managed care organization dental provider networks take action to strengthen these networks; 3) work with stakeholders to develop needed guidance on topics of concern to states; and 4) identify ways to improve sharing of promising practices among states.
See also:
U.S. GAO - Medicaid: State and Federal Actions Have Been Taken to Improve Children's Access to Dental Services, but More Can Be Done
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesCHHCS: School-Based Dental Health
CHHCS: Pediatric Oral Health--New Attention to an Old Problem