Medicaid Expansion Presents an Opportunity to Secure Dental Coverage for Low-Income Adults
In Washington State, the Medicaid adult dental program was largely eliminated in 2011 due to budget shortfalls. Thanks to action by the Washington State Legislature, coverage was restored January 1, 2014.
Arcora Foundation and its many partners successfully advocated for the restoration of the Medicaid adult dental program. Success required:
- compelling messages
- strong grassroots advocacy
- a broad-based lobbying coalition
- effective media outreach
These tactics, combined with the right timing and a recovering state economy, led to the restoration of dental coverage for Medicaid-insured adults, which has the potential to benefit more than 775,000 low-income people in Washington.
The opportunity to leverage federal dollars proved to be one of the arguments that persuaded policymakers. Because of the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of the Medicaid program, the federal government will pay the full cost of dental care for all new enrollees through Medicaid expansion. To learn more about this and other messages that generated bipartisan support for the Medicaid adult dental program, read our advocacy brief.
Trying to Secure Medicaid Adult Dental Coverage in Your State?
No need to re-create the wheel! Adapt our materials to suit your needs:
- Various 1-pagers distributed to policymakers (1, 2, 3)
- Earned Media
- Action alerts, Blog posts
- Radio spots (Emergency Room audio, Diabetes audio)
- Other media touting the importance of oral health (Wall Street Journal, Deseret News, HealthLeaders, Yakima Herald Republic)
Oral Health Watch
9h
Choosing water over soda and juice drinks to quench thirst provides oral and overall health benefits. In fact, studies show kids who drink more water, consume fewer sugar-sweetened beverages overall. And if your water has a good balance of fluoride in it? Even better! #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
9h
Choosing water over soda and juice drinks to quench thirst offers oral &overall health benefits. In fact, studies show kids who drink more water, consume fewer sugar-sweetened beverages overall. And if your water has a good balance of fluoride in it? Even better! #teethmatter
Water, water everywhere! Drinking water moves nutrients through the body, flushes out wastes, makes skin glow — and promotes good oral health, too! Encourage children to drink water for healthy teeth. To brush up on #OralHealth, see these resources: https://buff.ly/3Hv6XUo
Oral Health Watch
9h
Please mark your calendars. @Arcorafound, @DDFGivesBack, @DeltaDentalInst, @chfund, @OHRC_GU, @astddorg and @OralHealthWatch are hosting a Tweetchat at 11 AM (PT)/2 PM (ET) on Feb. 22nd in recognition of National Children's Dental Health Month. #NCDHM #KidsTeeth
Oral Health Watch
3d
Access to oral health care is a matter of equity. Investments that expand access to regular oral health care checkups, timely dental treatments and community water fluoridation are good policy and the right thing to do. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
3d
Access to oral health care is a matter of equity. Investments that expand access to regular oral health care checkups, timely dental treatments and community water fluoridation are good policy and the right thing to do. #teethmatter
Oral Health Watch
3d
Access to oral health care is a matter of equity. Investments that expand access to regular oral health care checkups, timely dental treatments and community water fluoridation are good policy and the right thing to do. #teethmatter