Journal article
The effects of Medicaid expansions on dental services at federally qualified health centers
The Journal of the American Dental Association (1939), Vol.154(3), pp.215-224.e10
03/2023
DOI: 10.1016/j.adaj.2022.11.005
Abstract
Background
Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) have become safety-net providers of dental services for low-income patients. The authors examined the effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansions, according to level of dental benefits, on the number of visits for dental services at FQHCs.
Methods
The authors used publicly available facility-level data on 1,400 FQHCs across the United States from the 2011 through 2019 Uniform Data System. The authors used an event-study difference-in-difference design to examine the effects of expanding Medicaid in 2014, according to the level of dental benefits, compared with nonexpansion states. Outcomes included the number of dental visits for any dental service and separately for preventive and other services. Regression models adjusted for the demographic characteristics of the FQHC's patient population, county-level factors, and center and year fixed effects.
Results
Expanding Medicaid with extensive dental benefits has increased the number of dental visits provided at FQHCs in 2014 through 2019 from 2013 by 1,329 to 7,647 visits per FQHC on average compared with FQHCs in nonexpansion states. There was an increase in visits for both preventive and other dental services. In contrast, there was no evidence of such an increase from expanding Medicaid with limited or emergency-only dental benefits.
Conclusions
Expanding Medicaid eligibility with extensive dental benefits has increased the number of dental visits at FQHCs, including for both preventive and other dental services.
Practical Implications
As safety-net providers, FQHCs might be able to provide more oral health care for low-income patients after Medicaid expansions that offer extensive dental benefits.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The effects of Medicaid expansions on dental services at federally qualified health centers
- Creators
- Wei LyuGeorge L. Wehby
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Journal of the American Dental Association (1939), Vol.154(3), pp.215-224.e10
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.adaj.2022.11.005
- ISSN
- 0002-8177
- eISSN
- 1943-4723
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 01/2023
- Date published
- 03/2023
- Academic Unit
- Preventive and Community Dentistry; Economics; Health Management and Policy; Public Policy Center (Archive)
- Record Identifier
- 9984357456402771
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