Latest news with #MelissaBurroughs
Business Wire
21-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
New Report: 72 Million Adults in the US Lack Dental Insurance, Nearly Three Times the Number Without Health Insurance
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A new report from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health ® reveals that 27% of US adults — an estimated 72 million people — do not have dental insurance, nearly three times the number of adults who lack health insurance (9.5%, or 26 million). The findings, from the latest State of Oral Health Equity in America (SOHEA) survey, underscore a persistent and troubling gap in access to dental care. Lack of dental insurance puts adults at risk for delayed treatment and worsening oral health, which is closely tied to broader health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and even dementia. 'These findings reinforce the fact that oral health care is too expensive and out of reach for too many families in America,' said Melissa Burroughs, Senior Director of Public Policy at CareQuest Institute. 'Gaps in dental insurance force families to make impossible tradeoffs between things like putting food on the table and getting the care they need — any cuts to the Medicaid program would only make this problem worse. It's time for policy solutions that address our nation's oral health, starting by preserving Medicaid adult dental coverage.' The report, Out of Pocket: A Snapshot of Adults' Dental and Medical Care Coverage, also finds that: Adults with lower incomes and education levels are more likely to lack dental insurance. 40% of adults without a high school diploma and 38% of those earning under $30,000 annually are uninsured for dental care. One-third of adults with Medicare or Medicaid lack dental coverage. Traditional Medicare does not include dental services, and Medicaid adult dental coverage varies widely by state. More than 80% of adults without health insurance also lack dental insurance. Nearly one in four adults with dental insurance gained it in the last year, either by changing from a previous insurance plan to a new plan or by enrolling in an insurance plan after being uninsured. Among adults currently without dental insurance, 12% lost coverage in the past year, disproportionately affecting younger adults and Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and Hispanic adults. Despite growing recognition that oral health is essential to overall health, significant policy gaps remain. Medicare does not guarantee dental coverage, Medicaid coverage for adults is optional and inconsistent across states, and marketplace dental plans often lack affordability and accessibility, with no subsidies available. The SOHEA survey is the largest nationally representative survey focused exclusively on oral health attitudes, behaviors, and experiences among adults. Conducted from March to May 2024 by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, the study reflects the voices of more than 9,000 adults nationwide. The full report is available here. About CareQuest Institute for Oral Health ® CareQuest Institute for Oral Health ® is a national nonprofit championing a more equitable future where every person can reach their full potential through excellent health. We do this through our work in philanthropy, analytics and data insights, health transformation, policy and advocacy, and education, as well as our leadership in dental benefits and innovation advancements. We collaborate with thought leaders, health care providers, patients, and local, state, and federal stakeholders to accelerate oral health care transformation and create a system designed for everyone. To learn more, visit and follow us on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
Business Wire
13-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
New Report: People with Disabilities Face Major Barriers to Accessing Oral Health Care
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to new data released today by CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®, adults with disabilities face major barriers to accessing oral health care and are at greater risk for poor oral health outcomes. 'People with disabilities deserve the basic right to access the care they need, yet they continue to face significant obstacles in receiving adequate dental care,' said Melissa Burroughs, Director of Public Policy at CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. Share This data comes from the annual State of Oral Health Equity in America (SOHEA) survey, the largest nationally representative survey focused on adults' attitudes, experiences, and behaviors related to oral health. Findings from the report show that for adults reporting at least one disability, factors including income, education, and having dental insurance are often linked to oral health outcomes such as self-rated oral health, recency of the last dental visit, having a dental home, and visiting an Emergency Department (ED) for dental care. 'People with disabilities deserve the basic right to access the care they need, yet they continue to face significant obstacles in receiving adequate dental care,' said Melissa Burroughs, Director of Public Policy at CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. 'This report gives us actionable insights to help guide our efforts to reduce inequities and improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities.' The results of the report reveal the following: Fewer adults with a disability reported a dental visit in the past 12 months (56%) compared to those without a disability (70%). Nearly a third of adults with a disability say their dental office doesn't provide special help and/or accommodations for their dental visit. Adults with a disability are less likely to have dental insurance (66%) than those without one (76%). One-quarter of adults with a disability (25%) said they delayed care, missed an appointment, or were unable to obtain needed health care, including oral health care. Adults with a disability have significantly higher odds of reporting fair/poor oral health compared to adults without a disability. More adults with a disability have visited an emergency department for dental care than adults without one. To improve access to oral health care for people with disabilities, the report recommends enhancing Medicare and Medicaid coverage for adult dental care, providing additional training for providers on treating people with disabilities, and integrating medical and dental care with specialty oral health care. Read the full report here.
Axios
05-03-2025
- Health
- Axios
Medicaid cuts put adult dental care on the chopping block
If Congress cuts Medicaid funding to states to help extend tax cuts, dental care for adults could be one of the first casualties as legislators and governors re-sort priorities and try to make do with less. Why it matters: All states cover some level of dental services for people over 21, but the generosity of benefits varies, and states already tend to cut or eliminate adult dental benefits when budgets are tight. The big picture: Comprehensive Medicaid dental coverage is associated with better oral health, and better oral health, in turn, is connected to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, pregnancy complications and other physical health concerns. Lack of dental insurance also pushes people to the hospital for treatment, where it's more expensive to provide care. "Without coverage, many will delay care or turn to emergency rooms, driving up health care costs and worsening health outcomes," said Melissa Burroughs, director of public policy at CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. Context: The House of Representatives last month adopted a federal budget resolution that calls on a key committee that governs Medicaid to find at least $880 billion in spending cuts over the next 10 years. The spending blueprint doesn't mandate cuts to Medicaid. But the committee would essentially have to make changes to federal funding for the program in order to reach the spending target, likely pushing more program costs onto states. States have to cover dental services for children enrolled in Medicaid, but they can choose whether and how extensively to cover oral health care for adults. CareQuest rated just nine states as having extensive dental benefits in 2023, the most recent year for which data is available. That's up from four states in 2020, and at least six states improved their dental coverage in 2024, according to the nonprofit. But even with strong benefits, low Medicaid reimbursement rates for dental care make it hard to convince dentists to take the insurance. Flashback: When finances have been strained in the past, states have decreased or eliminated their adult dental coverage. Those decisions have come with measurable consequences: Emergency department visits for dental concerns increased 11% in Massachusetts in the year and a half after the state got rid of comprehensive Medicaid dental benefits in 2010. California's elimination of broad Medicaid adult dental coverage in 2009 was associated with an immediate increase in ED visits for non-traumatic dental issues, and an immediate decrease when the state began reintroducing Medicaid dental benefits in 2014, an analysis published Monday in JAMA Network Open found. Zoom in: The specter of Medicaid cuts has already started to curtail dental access for low-income Americans. Community Health and Wellness Center of Greater Torrington in northwest Connecticut ended its dental services last week in anticipation of federal Medicaid changes trickling down to state-level cuts, CEO Joanne Borduas told Axios. Dental was its most expensive service line, and the federally qualified health center lost about $350,000 on dental services last year, she said. "With the Medicaid cuts, we just would not be able to continue to absorb those kinds of losses," she said. Community Health and Wellness Center is helping its roughly 1,400 dental patients find oral health care elsewhere, but there are only two practices in the area that take Medicaid, Borduas said. The center hopes to bring back dental services in the future. Between the lines: Fluorinated water, which reduces dental health disparities, is also on the chopping block in many communities. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has advocated for communities to stop adding fluoride to their water supply, despite there being no evidence that the level of the mineral used by most U.S. cities causes harm. Utah last month became the first state to pass a bill that would prohibit localities from fluorinating their water. The bill is currently awaiting the governor's signature. The effects of getting rid of fluoride in drinking water would take more time to bear out than Medicaid coverage changes. But in the long run, these two policy changes would exacerbate the oral health crisis, especially for lower-income Americans, CareQuest's Burroughs said.
