medicaid

Kentucky Center for Economic Policy

The proposed changes to Kentucky’s Medicaid expansion include the elimination of dental coverage from the package of benefits for adults. Reducing access to dental care would likely lead to other, more serious health problems and cost the state more in overall Medicaid spending through greater use of emergency room services. Dental care makes up a small portion of the overall budget, but is a very efficient preventative medical service that is critical in Kentucky given our poor oral health.

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Courier-Journal

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky still has dismal dental problems and poor overall oral health but is making some gains in attacking them, according to research presented to a legislative committee Thursday. Expanded access to dental care was one of the greatest gains from Kentucky’s decision to expand Medicaid and create a health exchange under the Affordable Care Act, according to the presentation of research funded in part by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

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Michigan Public Radio Network WMUK

(MPRN-Lansing) A new report says many kids and seniors in Michigan are going without dental care. The report was created by the PEW Charitable Trust at the behest of advocacy groups. It was released by the Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health (MCMCH) and the Center for Health Workforce Studies.

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Lansing State Journal

It’s not just about having a winning smile. Michigan’s kids in families with low incomes, seniors and pregnant women are not getting the dental care they need to stay healthy, a new report concludes. Troubled chompers can lead to other serious problems.

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Crain’s New York Business

In response to a growing demand for nurse practitioners in the New York state, one of the largest health care systems in the region is launching a graduate school for nurse-practitioner programs. Hofstra University in Hempstead, L.I., and the North Shore-LIJ Health System, with which it is associated, announced Tuesday the formation of the School of Graduate Nursing and Health Professions.

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Capitol Ideas, Council of State Governments

While state policymakers often wring their hands over health care spending and how it may squeeze out other policy priorities, the flipside of that spending is jobs—lots of them and more to come in the future. In 2012, the 17 million health care and social assistance jobs made up 14.6 percent of all services producing jobs in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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