Dentist In Des Moines Iowa That Take Medicaid – Many counties in Iowa are struggling with a shortage of dental providers accepting new patients with Medicaid coverage. Falling repayment rates reduce sales.
Many counties in Iowa are struggling with a shortage of dental providers accepting new patients with Medicaid coverage.
Dentist In Des Moines Iowa That Take Medicaid
Declining reimbursement rates are forcing providers to stop accepting Medicaid for current and former patients, as well as new patients.
Dentists Worry About Iowa’s Privatized Medicaid Management
In 2016, Iowa dentists earned 40 cents on the dollar served by Medicaid patients, according to the American Dental Association. In addition to the 60% overhead, many dentists lose money when they see patients with government insurance.
A lot of people are resigning now. This means that many people on fixed incomes have to pay expensive car journeys to find someone who can brush their teeth.
Dr. Corey Garner, DDS, owns and operates Southside Smiles in Des Moines. Accepts private insurance, state insurance and even the uninsured.
He said patients come from as far away as Des Moines, Marshalltown and even Sioux City. It’s 6 hours round trip.
Primary Health Care To Open Dental Clinic For Low Income Ames Patients
“We regularly have patients who have to travel two hours to come to our office, and those patients can’t find a provider in their area that accepts state insurance,” Garner said.
With reimbursement rates at historic lows, many providers are unwilling or unable to serve low-income people, a population that often faces other challenges, said Dr. Garner.
“Some of our patients don’t speak English, so we often need an interpreter. There are also many who are dealing with past and present mental health or drug and alcohol abuse issues,” Garner said.
In 2018, about 47 percent of dentists provided dental services to children 12 and younger through Medicaid coverage, according to I-Smile data from the Iowa Department of Public Health. Compared to 5 years ago, it decreased.
Special Needs Dentistry
It’s even more difficult for adults on Medicaid. Fewer dentists accept adults with state insurance because they often require more expensive procedures. In addition, annual financial limits mean that only urgent dental needs are met.
“I feel like we’re leaving them with another problem until their insurance is reinstated next year, which I think is disappointing,” Garner said.
Dr. Garner said that while the benefits may not be large sums of money, serving the community is a personal choice for which he is especially grateful.
“Giving them self-respect and dignity and treating them with compassion is something that I want and I don’t find that in a lot of places,” Garner said.
Southside Smiles Family Dentistry
The Iowa Department of Human Services has a website where you can find out which dentists in your county accept Medicaid.
But patients who spoke to Local 5 Wednesday said many of the providers on that list aren’t accepting new patients.
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