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In today's Salt Lake Tribune by Lisa Lisa Rosetta (and Francisco Kjolseth - photographer):

"Dentists and physicians are dropping off at just an alarming rate," said Senator Allen Christensen, R-Ogden, a dentist who estimates at least half of his patients are on Medicaid.

"The dentists do not need the patients. They're busy enough with their regular-paying clients," he said. "But the patients need the dentists. It's an ongoing battle."

Advocates have long called for higher Medicaid reimbursements for work by dentists, and for the last four fiscal years, the Legislature has responded.

Reimbursements went up 4.3 percent in 2005; 4.8 percent in 2006 and 2 percent in 2007. In 2008, it spiked 30 percent, but for pregnant women and children only; adult services saw a 6 percent bump.

But a dentist work force analysis released last week by the Utah Medical Education Council (UMEC), shows the boost in funding may not have had the desired effect.

Nearly three-quarters of Utah's 1,075 dentists reported in 2006 that they would not accept new Medicaid patients, citing low reimbursement and missed appointments as the major reasons, the report said.

1 Comments:

 Millie said...

Hey.

8/07/2008 3:25 PM  

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