Why Was Dental Care Never Included with Affordable Care Act?

When you think of the Affordable Care Act, often dental care is neglected or altogether not included. But why? The Affordable Care Act, or commonly referred to as the ACA is a health care reform passed in 2010. The intention behind this act was to extend health insurance coverage to millions of Americans that were previously uninsured. It also provided more financial assistance to low to middle-income families to help make health insurance more affordable.

What is considered Essential Health Benefits?

There are 10 essential health benefits that must be covered by most health insurance plans with the ACA. These include things like doctor’s visits, hospitalization, emergency care, and prescription drugs. Dental care is one of the many things that’s not included in those essential health benefits.

There are many reasons why dental care was not included in the ACA, but cost was a major one. The ACA was already very expensive, and adding dental care would have just increased the cost even more. Dental care is also not as urgent as other health care services like doctor’s visits or hospitalization. If someone doesn’t have dental insurance, they can still get dental care, but they will have to pay for it out of pocket. Provided, even without the ACA there are dental insurance plans that can be purchased and can still help lower the out of pocket costs for dental work.

Dental Care Still Available

Despite the fact that dental care isn’t included in the ACA, there are still ways to get affordable dental care. There are many dental insurance plans available, and some employers offer dental coverage as a benefit. There are also programs that provide free or low-cost dental care to low-income individuals.

If you are concerned about the cost of dental care, there are several things you can do

1) Check to see if your employer offers dental insurance, even if you are self-employed. There are many plans available to fit your needs and budget.

2) You can purchase a dental insurance plan on your own. There are many different plans available, so be sure to shop around and compare costs.

3) See if you qualify for any government programs that provide free or low-cost dental care. There are many programs available, so be sure to check with your state or local health department to see if you qualify.

4) If you cannot afford the cost of dental insurance, there are still ways to get affordable dental care. You can negotiate with your dentist for a payment plan or search for dental schools that provide low-cost dental care.