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Kaiser Family Foundation report details Medicare dental coverage

Health policy nonprofit the Kaiser Family Foundation recently released a report examining dental coverage of Medicare recipients in the U.S.

The report, published July 28, comes as policymakers are working to improve Medicare coverage, including dental care, such as President Joe Biden's fiscal year 2022 budget request for enhanced dental, hearing and vision coverage under Medicare.

The report offers insight into multiple details on dental coverage in the U.S., including the number of Medicare beneficiaries with dental coverage, dental visits in the past 12 months and out-of-pocket expenses.

Here are some of the key findings:

  • As of 2019, approximately 24 million Medicare beneficiaries, or 47 percent, do not have dental coverage.
  • Forty-seven percent of Medicare beneficiaries did not have a dental visit within the past year as of 2018. This rate was higher among people who were Black, Hispanic, low-income, or in fair or poor health.
  • Among Medicare beneficiaries who had any dental service in 2018, out-of-pocket spending totaled an average of $874. Twenty percent of beneficiaries who used dental services spent more than $1,000.
  • Ninety-four percent of Medicare Advantage members enrolled in individual plans this year have some access to dental coverage.

To view the full report, click here.

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