This story first appeared in The Investigator, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA featuring the best investigative and accountability journalism from across Pennsylvania. Sign up for free here.
Bellefonte, Pa. — To save money, in 2011 the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services curtailed most dental services for adults covered by Medicaid. Now, lawmakers and advocates are pushing to reverse the decision, arguing that it harmed patients and increased spending elsewhere.
Millions of adults in Pennsylvania rely on Medicaid, but the program, which DHS oversees, typically doesn’t cover much beyond routine dental exams, cleanings, and fillings.
James Mancini, a dentist in rural Crawford County, says extraction is the only way to treat many of his patients’ issues — unless they can pay out of pocket.
That was the case for a woman who saw Mancini last month for a shattered front tooth. Because more advanced procedures — such as root canals and crowns — are not covered by Medicaid without an approved exception, pulling the tooth was the best and least expensive option.