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The impact of the affordable care act's Medicaid expansion on dental care use through 2016
Author(s) -
Nasseh Kamyar,
Vujicic Marko
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of public health dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1752-7325
pISSN - 0022-4006
DOI - 10.1111/jphd.12257
Subject(s) - medicaid , dental care , patient protection and affordable care act , medicine , environmental health , family medicine , gerontology , health care , political science , law
Abstract Objective To examine the impact of the Affordable Care Act on dental care use among low‐income adults ages 21‐64. Methods Our analysis uses national survey data from the 2010‐2016 Gallup Wellbeing‐Index. We use a differences‐in‐differences analysis to assess changes since the end of 2013 in dental care use among low‐income adults. We compare changes in states that expanded Medicaid and offer adult Medicaid dental benefits versus changes in other states. Results Relative to the pre‐reform period and other states, in Medicaid expansion states with adult dental benefits, dental care use increased 3‐6 percentage points in 2016. Conclusions In Medicaid expansion states with adult dental benefits, evidence suggests that low‐income adults have greater access to dental care.