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Louisiana Medicaid is expanding its comprehensive dental care to adults ages 21 and up with intellectual or developmental disabilities who are enrolled in the New Opportunities Waiver, Residential Options Waiver or the Supports Waiver. More than 12,000 people will have access to the new dental coverage which will become effective July 1.
The coverage includes diagnostic services, preventive services, restorative services, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, and emergency care. The expansion is part of the Louisiana Department of Health’s (LDH) Fiscal Year 2022 Business Plan, Together: Building a Stronger LDH and a Healthier Louisiana.
“Oral health is critical to our overall health, shaping our physical and mental well-being at every age. This expansion of coverage will improve the health and well-being of Louisianans with intellectual or developmental disabilities by providing routine and preventive dental care,” said LDH Secretary Dr. Courtney Phillips. “Providing comprehensive dental services for those who are enrolled in the New Opportunities Waiver, Residential Options Waiver or the Supports Waiver will help individuals maintain good oral health and prevent serious health issues in the future.”
Many states have found that investing in preventive dental care for Medicaid enrollees saves public dollars by preventing emergency department visits and expensive, complicated treatments and hospitalizations arising from neglect of oral health.
In June 2021, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed the Act 450 bill into law in Louisiana which made the new expanded coverage possible.
For questions about coverage, call your dental health plan at 1-800-685-0143 for DentaQuest and 1-855-702-6262 for MNCA Dental.
