Dentists Against Dental Care?

Politico reported something strange. Dentists are against providing Medicare recipients dental care! The Biden Administrations wants to expand Medicare to cover dental, vision and hearing care. However, conservative Democrats want to limit the expansion to only the poorest Americans. But Medicare is not just for poor people.

We have never limited benefits based on means testing. Indeed, no one in the program’s 56 years has ever been excluded from any benefits based on wealth. We should not now. It is not necessary. we are the richest country in the history of the world. We can afford dental care.

Health industry lobbyists like the American Dental Association are against the expansion. The American Dental Association is buying digital ads trying to influence the negotiations. Lobbyists sent tens of thousands of emails to Capitol Hill. They want to limit access because they do not make as much money with Medicare. Medicare may pay dentists a little less for services than private insurance but millions of seniors can finally get dental care. Which is more important?

The New England Journal of Medicine reports the nursing home industry is horrible for taking care of the elderly. Aging adults are left in poorly funded and insufficiently supervised institutions. Vulnerable adults suffer abuse and neglect every day. It is a tragedy.