It is quite embarrassing to be in a club with Alabama and Tennessee, two southern confederate states. These three states are the only states in the union that deny adult recipients of Medicaid dental coverage. Luckily, the Delaware has just unanimously passed a bill that will end our membership in that dubious club.
Dental care is health care. And, studies have shown that poor dental health care can result in serious infections and abscess in the face, neck, and jaw areas requiring some individuals to go to the emergency room where they may spend days in intensive care or even die. This ultimately costs states more money through their Medicaid program that could be saved if dental care were covered.
Senator Bryan Townsend’s SB92(S) would expand Delaware’s Public Assistance Code to provide dental care to all eligible adult Medicaid recipients. Payments for dental care treatments are subject to a $3 recipient copay and the total amount of dental care assistance provided to an eligible recipient may not exceed $1,000 per year, except that an additional $1,500 may be authorized on an emergency basis for dental care treatments through a review process established by the Department of Health and Social Services.
The bill passed the Senate 21-0. Now it goes to the House.
WHERE IS SB92(S) NOW? Passed Senate 21-0.
DEMOCRATIC SPONSORS — Townsend, Poore, McBride, McDowell, Bentz, Minor-Brown, Heffernan, Ennis, Hansen, Lockman, Paradee, Sturgeon, Baumbach, Brady, Dorsey Walker, K.Johnson, Kowalko, Lynn, Mitchell
REPUBLICAN SPONSORS — None
DEMOCRATIC YES VOTES — SENATE – Brown, Ennis, Hansen, Lockman, McBride, McDowell, Paradee, Poore, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh
REPUBLICAN YES VOTES – SENATE – Bonini, Cloutier, Delcollo, Hocker, Lawson, Lopez, Pettyjohn, Richardson, Wilson
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