Maryland Medicaid Benefits for Dental Care Under Fire
More than 10,000 children eligible for Medicaid in Maryland have not seen a dentist in at least four years, and more than double that number have not seen a dentist in two years, according to a review of dental records by a U.S. House subcommittee, the Washington Post reports.
Staff from the domestic policy subcommittee of the U.S. House Government Reform Committee reviewed billing and service information from United Healthcare, one of the managed care groups that administers services for Medicaid beneficiaries in Maryland. About 500,000 children in Maryland receive Medicaid services through managed care organizations.
The review also found that seven dentists in Prince George's County, Md., provided more than half of dental services to the more than 45,000 children in the county who are eligible for Medicaid.
An Oct. 2 letter from the subcommittee faulted United Healthcare's administration of Medicaid beneficiaries, but the company disputed some of the findings included in the analysis.
Steven Matthews, a spokesperson for United Healthcare's Medicaid plan, said the insurer is preparing a response to the panel's review and will submit it later this month (Otto, Washington Post, 10/4).