Politics
Wisconsin governor signs legislative package aimed at expanding access to dental care
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed a package of bipartisan legislation aimed at expanding access to dental care and addressing dental workforce shortages across the state into law Wednesday.
U.S. Health Resources Administration data released this month found shortages of dental care in 160 areas of Wisconsin, defined as geographic areas, facilities or populations experiencing a shortage of care providers.
The package Evers signed includes five bills, including one that authorizes licenses for dental therapists who practice in areas experiencing shortages in care. Dental therapists are positions between a dentist and a hygienist — they can fill cavities but can’t perform more complex operations like root canals.
Other bills in the package create guidelines for distributing $20 million in state aid for technical colleges’ dental training programs, create scholarships for Marquette University dental students who agree to practice in underserved areas, allow dental workers from out of state to practice in Wisconsin, and allow insurers to send reimbursements directly to a provider rather than the patient if the patient requests it.
Evers signed the bills at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau.
Paul
February 1, 2024 at 11:10 am
Nice try governor Evers, but, Once again, he is missing the target. Access to dental care is difficult, even in communities without shortages of providers. The reason? Government Medicaid rates are below cost so dental providers. Do not want to serve persons with Medicaid. You can create all the new dental, therapist, or dentist you want, but if you don’t fix the rate, dental providers are paid, the same problem will continue to exist And you will have spent lots of tax money without solving the problem.