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Research ArticleArticle

Moving from Medicaid to North Carolina Health Choice: Changes in Access to Dental Care for NC Children

Rebecca T. Slifkin, Pam Silberman and Victoria Freeman
North Carolina Medical Journal January 2004, 65 (1) 6-11; DOI: https://doi.org/10.18043/ncm.65.1.6
Rebecca T. Slifkin
Research Associate Professor in Social Medicine and the Director for the Program on Health Care Economics at the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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  • For correspondence: slifkin@mail.schsr.unc.edu
Pam Silberman
Associate Director (Policy Analysis) of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services, a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Administration in the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Pam is also the Vice President of the NC Institute of Medicine.
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Victoria Freeman
Research Fellow for the Program on Child Health Services at the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research.
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Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to identify the extent to which access to dental care changes as children move from a public program with low provider reimbursement and a reputation of non-compliant beneficiaries to another public program with higher reimbursement levels and enrollees that may be viewed differently by providers.

Study Design: The pre- and post-enrollment dental experience of NC Health Choice enrollees who were previously on Medicaid is compared to those who were uninsured prior to NC Health Choice enrollment.

Data Source: Parents of newly-eligible NC Health Choice children were sent a survey within two weeks of enrollment to determine their child’s experience prior to program enrollment. Respondents were resurveyed approximately 11 months later regarding their child’s experiences after receipt of NC Health Choice.

Principal Findings: Medicaid recipients were significantly more likely to have had a dental visit within the year before enrolling in NC Health Choice, to report a usual source of care, and have fewer unmet needs than were uninsured children. After enrollment there was improvement for both groups, and differences between the two groups disappeared.

Conclusions: Medicaid coverage appears to improve access to dental services for children who would otherwise be uninsured. Increased access to dental services for Medicaid children after enrolling in NC Health Choice may be due to higher provider reimbursement, but may also result from providers’ perception that NC Health Choice beneficiaries are a different population and more likely to keep appointments.

Relevance: In a time of fiscal crisis, changes to NC Health Choice should be carefully considered to avoid loss of dental care gains afforded by this public insurance program.

  • Copyright 2004 © North Carolina Institute of Medicine
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North Carolina Medical Journal: 65 (1)
North Carolina Medical Journal
Vol. 65, Issue 1
January/February 2004
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Moving from Medicaid to North Carolina Health Choice: Changes in Access to Dental Care for NC Children
Rebecca T. Slifkin, Pam Silberman, Victoria Freeman
North Carolina Medical Journal Jan 2004, 65 (1) 6-11; DOI: 10.18043/ncm.65.1.6

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Moving from Medicaid to North Carolina Health Choice: Changes in Access to Dental Care for NC Children
Rebecca T. Slifkin, Pam Silberman, Victoria Freeman
North Carolina Medical Journal Jan 2004, 65 (1) 6-11; DOI: 10.18043/ncm.65.1.6
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