April 27th, 2018 by WCBC Radio
During the final weekend of the 2018 Maryland General Assembly session, lawmakers voted unanimously to approve legislation that establishes a pilot program to provide adult Medicaid recipients dental coverage. The legislation has been a priority for Delegate Mike McKay, the 1C representative of Allegany and Washington counties, as well as the Maryland Dental Action Coalition, a non-governmental oral health policy and advocacy organization. Many Maryland adults have serious oral health issues that drive them to the emergency room with tooth pain and oral infections. Emergency rooms are unable to treat the causes of dental pain, according to the coalition, so they treat the symptoms and send patients home with antibiotics, pain medications or referrals for dental services that patients may not be able to afford. Mckay says although the program comes with a steep price tag- in the end it pays for itself…
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