GDAction October 2008 FINAL.qxd
10/27/08
Universal Health Coverage Continued from page 20
Many … voiced fears that low reimbursement rates in a universal coverage program would not only negatively impact current providers, but also that low rates mixed with the administrative difficulties and a patient population with low health care IQs would lead to general dentistry becoming less attractive as a profession, much as the primary practice of medicine seems to be falling out of favor with medical students for much the same reasons.
12:54 PM
Page 22
Any Universal Healthcare Scenario Should Focus on Individuals with Substantive Need
GDA Members Appreciate ADA Observations on What Could Happen to Dentistry Under Universal Healthcare
The GDA call participants recognized that the ADA resolution and supporting documents were written in such a way to allow the ADA to have flexibility in a health care debate. Still, members had strong feelings about some of the wording regarding covered populations. “I am concerned that the ADA resolution discusses adult coverage the way it does,” said Dr. Weinman. “We must take care of the neediest, most vulnerable of our population— our children—first. To me, any discussion of adult coverage, such as in the statement ‘Limited government resources should allow for additional routine dental care coverage for all underserved populations as well as diagnostic and preventive for adults’ is like discussing building the second floor of a house before you finish the foundation.”
The participants on the GDA Board of Trustees call, although they touched on some areas of minor concern with the ADA’s efforts, were supportive of other efforts. For instance, Board members noted that the resolution clearly stated that dentist reimbursements matter. The resolution states that “Increased access to care for people covered by government-assisted dental programs depends on fair and adequate provider reimbursement rates. The vast majority of government programs are so seriously under-funded that dentists cannot recover the cost of materials used in providing care.” Many on the GDA Board of Trustees call voiced fears that low reimbursement rates in a universal coverage program would not only negatively impact current providers, but also that low rates mixed with the administrative difficulties and a patient population with
22 GDA ACTION OCTOBER 2008
GDAction 1008 FINAL.pdf 22
10/27/2008 5:21:55 PM