Iowa Medicaid pays dentists $27 per teeth cleaning: 6 things to know

Dentists

After Iowa's Medicaid program was privatized in 2016, dentists began receiving lower reimbursement rates, according to the Des Moines Register.

Here are six things to know:

1. Dentists receive $27 for a patient's teeth cleaning from Medicaid, an Iowa Dental Association executive director told the Des Moines Register.

2. Iowa's Medicaid dental program, Dental Wellness Plan, is managed by Delta Dental and MCNA. The dental coverage is separate from the state's health insurance program.

3. Previously, the state cut in-home services for disabled people in order to manage the state's Medicaid budget.

4. To combat the low reimbursements, the University of Iowa School of Dentistry is turning away new patients who are receive coverage from the Dental Wellness Plan.

5. Iowa's Dental Wellness Plan caps non-emergency dental treatments at $1,000. Patients are also required to take a health risk assessment during the first year of coverage.

6. Private companies manage Iowa's $5 billion Medicaid program.

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