If you need emergency dental procedures to be performed, Medicaid can be of great assistance in paying your bills. In the United States, Medicaid is an assistance program that serves citizens of low income to cover their medical expenses. In some cases, co-payment may be required to complete costs. However, you may have questions about the acceptance of Medicaid – does Teledentistry.com’s Emergency Dentists Take Medicaid? And the answer is a resounding yes. Emergency dentists at Teledentistry.com not only accept Medicaid but Medicare and most insurances too.
Telehealth providers like 24-hour urgent dental care, Teledentistry.com, can be of great help and address any problems you are facing with your tooth on an urgent basis.
Table of Contents
What Is Medicaid?
Medicaid is the Federal public health insurance program that aims at helping American citizens with low income to get the medical assistance they require. Currently, Medicaid covers 1 out of every 5 Americans by helping them get healthcare, even for complex and expensive ones. Most Medicaid enrollees lack the capability of affording quality healthcare, and Medicaid helps them get long-term care.
The scope of Medicaid is vast, with multiple health services supported. This also helps finance entities in the healthcare sectors like nursing homes, physicians, community health centers, hospitals, and employees spanning all these institutes. The program is governed by Title XIX of the Social Security act and federal regulations body. They help define its parameters, including requirements, options for states, and authorities. Medicaid is implemented by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CVS) under the purview of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Medicaid Eligibility
Your Medicaid eligibility for low-cost or even free care will depend on your family size and income. People with disabilities, elderly citizens, pregnant women, and some low-income people, their families, and children can avail of Medicaid coverage in all states. However, in some states, Medicaid offers a range for all low-income adults depending on income levels.
If you wish to know about your Medicaid coverage, find out if your province is expanding Medicaid and what the implications are for you. Note that Medicaid rules are evolving, and even if you didn’t qualify in the past, things may have changed. There are two ways of finding the status of your Medicaid coverage:
- By visiting the Medicaid portal for your province. Simply use the drop-down menu at the top to select the state you reside in and apply immediately to find out if you are qualified. In fact, your coverage can begin immediately, provided you are eligible for it.
- By filling out an application in the Health Insurance Marketplace. Upon completing and submitting the application, you’ll be informed of the programs you and your family can be eligible for. If someone is found eligible, the US Human and Health Services (HHS) will inform the state agencies so that your enrolment can proceed.
Medicaid For Dental Care
Most Medicaid-eligible individuals below the age of 21 can avail of dental services as a mandatory inclusion as a part of the Early and Periodic Screening Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit. EPSDT is the comprehensive child health program of Medicaid focused on preventing, diagnosing, and treating medical conditions.
Medicaid guidelines dictate that Dental care providers must serve within the standards of dental practice at regular intervals. This is necessary to establish the severity of the condition. Services such as pain relief, infection treatment, teeth restoration, and holistic dental health maintenance are all included.
The state must provide dental services that are required to treat the diagnosed conditions, even if they aren’t listed in the Medicaid plan of the states. The list of Dental services received may go well beyond the emergency services reserved for EPSDT enrollees.
For Citizens Of Age 21 And Above
If you are above 21 years, the state might not choose to provide dental services or not based on their discretion. Even though less than half of all states provide comprehensive dental care to adults, most offer emergency dental services. There are no minimum requirements stated for the dental coverage of adults.
Now that you know whether Medicaid can cover you or not, how do you recognize if you need immediate medical attention?
Understanding Dental Emergencies
Even though we all like to believe an emergency can never happen to us, the reality is quite different. Just like most other health emergencies, dental emergencies can cause much consternation and require all your attention and immediate action. You will know you are in a dental emergency if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Sharp pain in your tooth/ teeth
- Your teeth and gums are bleeding
- Loss of a tooth
- Your tooth becomes loose and wobbles
- You discover an infection
In many cases, dental emergencies can be self-diagnosed by asking yourself a set of basic questions like:
- Did one of your teeth fall out on its own? You can preserve it if you address the issue correctly\ and urgently.
- Is one of your teeth loose but not painful? This can be a sign of a more serious issue.
- How much pain are you experiencing? If it’s enough to stop your normal functioning, it may be time for an immediate consultation.
- Do you see any swelling or knots in and around your teeth and gum? Any form of swelling or abscess can be a sign of infection that can even turn fatal if left unchecked.
- Is there any form of bleeding in your mouth? Spitting blood while brushing can be another sign of a dental emergency.
- If you have mouth ulcers that aren’t healing for an extended period.
- If your bleeding doesn’t stop after tooth extraction and persists for long.
- If the pain or discomfort doesn’t abate even after following self-help recommendations.
Any or all of the cases mentioned above can constitute a dental emergency if you require immediate medical attention. Other cases, like a missing crown or a chipped tooth, are seldom considered an emergency if they don’t cause excruciating pain.
Dental emergencies are surprisingly common and affect a large part of the population. If you are facing any similar conditions, you should consult a dentist in an emergency.