The Importance of Dental Care

Today's Washington Post reports a terrible story that underscores the need for basic health care coverage, including dental coverage as well as better incentives for doctors and dentists to accept low-income patients.  Until reading the story, I had not thought about how difficult it must be to find a dentist who accepts Medicaid even though I have had friends who worked in emergency rooms complain that too many people come to the ER for dental problems.  Health care access depends not just on insurance coverage for a service but ensuring that there are individuals available to provide those services.  Perhaps a cut in Medicaid reimbursement rates would not be the best idea . . . .

Thanks to Atrios for the cite.