Dental Care: Proposed legislation should become law
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One of the most important bills before the West Virginia Legislature this year very nearly fell through the cracks. Good for state senators for recognizing the peril and quickly acting.
It is Senate Bill 648 which, if enacted, would provide some dental care coverage to Mountain State adults enrolled in the Medicaid program. Medicaid now pays only for emergency dental services for adults. SB 648 would provide as much as $1,000 a year to pay for other care.
Too often, some of the nasty old stereotypes represent reality for adults who cannot afford to pay for dental care. Some studies indicate, in general, our state has the worst oral health in the nation.
That can have devastating effects, from quality of life in general to making it harder to get and hold a job.
While many dentists, thank goodness, are willing to provide cut-rate or free dental care to those whose finances are limited, a significant number of Mountain State residents are too proud to ask for it and suffer.
Legislators have been aware of the concern for many years. But this year, a bipartisan group of them acted by putting SB 648 forth.
With hundreds of bills to consider, lawmakers sometimes fail to take timely action on important measures, however. That nearly happened with SB 648.
Last Wednesday was "crossover day" at the Legislature. Bills not passed by at least one of the two chambers were dead at the end of action that day. Senators sprang into action. First reading of the bill was Monday. Second reading was Tuesday. Third reading and adoption was Wednesday, sending SB 648 to the House of Delegates.
Good things often have price tags, and SB 648 is no exception. It is estimated it would cost the state about $8.8 million a year. But federal funding would be attracted automatically, boosting the measure's annual impact to $62.7 million a year.
Now that the Senate has done its work, the measure should become law. It really is no exaggeration that for many West Virginians, SB 648 is the most important bill on the agenda this year.