Medicare’s current exclusion of dental care from coverage leaves millions of seniors and people with disabilities without access to the oral health care they need to stay healthy.
Currently, there are two national efforts underway to include a dental benefit in the Medicare program. OHO is advocating around both of these efforts:
1. Include a comprehensive dental benefit in Medicare, Part B
2. Medicare Coverage for medically necessary oral/dental therapies.
Medically necessary oral health care refers to care that is needed when dental infections/diseases may complicate or stand in the way of receiving important, Medicare-covered treatments like chemotherapy, immunosuppression, organ transplants, orthopedic surgery, heart valve repair, etc.