“As the House takes action to reduce the cost of prescription drugs for American families, we should use the government’s cost savings to expand health-preserving dental coverage to older Americans,” Ms. Kelly, chair of the congressional black caucus health braintrust and member of the health subcommittee, said in the news release.
Seventy-five percent of Americans report barriers obtaining dental care, mainly due to cost of service and lack of insurance, according to a recent survey.
Thirty-seven million, or 65 percent, of Medicare recipients lack dental coverage, according to a Henry J. Kaiser Family report. Forty-nine percent of recipients hadn’t been to a dentist in a year. In communities of color, numbers for those without care are significantly higher.
“It is time for our seniors to have unmitigated access to the care they need — including dental visits, which are a vital part of keeping our older Americans healthy,” said Congressman Horsford, D-Nev., a co-sponsor of the bill.
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Patients line up in middle of the night to receive free care at Florida clinic
