New Hampshire is closer to expanding Medicaid dental benefits after a Senate bill unanimously passed the Health and Human Services Committee, the New Hampshire Bulletin reported Feb. 2.
Senate Bill 422 is part of a nearly two-decades-long effort for the state to provide preventative dental benefits to 80,000 Medicaid recipients. New Hampshire is one of 10 states where Medicaid only covers emergency dental services.
The additional coverage is expected to cost the state about $7.5 million a year. Sen. Cindy Rosenwald, a sponsor of the bill, proposed the state use part of its $21 million settlement reached with managed care company Centene in January to help fund the coverage.
The bill is similar to one senators passed last year but was dropped from the state's budget because of House members' concerns about costs to the state. A similar bill is also making its way through the House.