HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – A Pennsylvania organization is demanding dental care be put back in Medicaid coverage. It was cut in 2011.
Put People First! PA gathered on the steps of the state capitol building on Monday. Pennsylvanians living without dental benefits shared their stories about the health conditions and hardships they’ve faced.
“For some reason, our health care system separates the body from the eyes or the teeth,” says Put People First! Health Care Rights Committee co-coordinator Barbara White . “Even people who are lucky to have good insurance have separate dental insurance or separate vision insurance.”
The rally called on lawmakers to pass House Bill 1417 , which has bipartisan support. Rep. Valerie Gaydos (R) – Allegheny County acknowledges that restoring dental benefits to Medicaid would be expensive, but she says it would be worth it.
“In the long run, it will save us money,” Rep. Gaydos says. “If we take care of these individuals who need these dental benefits then they’re out there having better health, not having other health problems that actually are much more costly.”