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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – “I get no respect!” Mention this phrase and most Americans recall that the late comedian Rodney Dangerfield founded a long, successful career on those words. By the end of his career, however, he won the respect he earned when his colleagues honored him with the coveted Creative Achievement Award.
That was in the fantasy field of entertainment. In today’s debate about the future of American health care, it’s dental health that’s getting “no respect.” And while that’s disappointing for those of us in the industry, it will be extraordinarily disruptive for American families who have dental coverage.
Dental Health at Risk
Congress is considering health care reform proposals that would require parents who have family dental insurance to drop it in order to purchase two dental plans – one for their children and one for themselves. This would disrupt coverage for an estimated 40 to 50 million children. The proposals also would limit the choices for those seeking good oral health care for their families.
That doesn’t make sense. Consumers consistently report a high degree of satisfaction with their dental benefits, in large part because:
Dental health coverage embodies the best elements of a good health care: it is relatively inexpensive (the average dental health policy costs $30 per month) and promotes preventive care and early intervention by paying 85 to 100 percent of the costs associated with regular check-ups and cleanings.
Stand-alone dental insurers have decades of experience designing and administering dental benefits plans that offer consumers a wide choice of dentists for their care.
Some reform proposals under consideration, including the House Tri-Committee bill (HR 3200) and the more recently released Senate Finance proposal, would require mandated medical and children’s dental benefits to be bundled together in the proposed health insurance exchange. In other words, only a medical insurer could sell these mandated benefits.
Proponents say they are seeking simplicity by requiring consumers to purchase both medical and children’s dental coverage through one insurer. In reality, this approach would deprive consumers of competition, pricing transparency and the opportunity to choose from stand-alone dental options that are the standard in the employer-sponsored market. (Currently, 97 percent of employer-sponsored dental contracts are written separately from medical coverage.)
Offering a choice of stand-alone dental benefits already has a precedent: the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Benefits Enhancement Act of 2004 made supplemental dental benefits available to Federal employees, retirees and their dependents – without complication.
In addition, the same forced bundling requirements would become standard for essential benefits sold outside the proposed exchange. That would mean disruption of coverage and dentist-patient relationships for tens of millions of Americans.
Taxing Away Oral Health Progress
Another troubling provision of the Senate Finance Committee bill includes new taxes on employer-paid benefits above certain levels for individuals and families. To stay within these levels, employers and employees are likely to drop dental coverage, which would reduce dentist visits and undermine oral health.
Dental benefits – and their prevention-based model – are what works in health care. Lawmakers must preserve the current tax treatment of employer-sponsored benefits plans.
In addition, Congress must amend legislation to allow for vigorous competition among different types of private carriers, including stand-alone dental carriers. That will give Americans choice – and the ability to keep the dental coverage and dentist they already have.
Despite his protestations to the contrary, Rodney Dangerfield’s skillful delivery of self-deprecating humor earned him the respect of his peers and his audiences. Americans’ dental care, including their current dental coverage and relationships with dentists, deserves no less.
Ms. Volk is President and CEO of Delta Dental Plans Association, the trade association for Delta Dental member companies, the nation’s largest dental benefits carrier. Prior to this appointment, she was vice president and chief administrative officer, responsible for federal government relations and national marketing communications. She is also president & CEO, and a director of DeltaUSA, a subsidiary of DDPA that enables Delta Dental to administer national and multi-state accounts on a single-site basis. She is a graduate of Northern Michigan University. In addition, Ms. Volk has recently graduated from the General Management program at the Kellogg Management Institute at Northwestern University.
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