"It is not that I don't want to see Medicaid patients," Dr. Kouri said. "I would see new Medicaid patients if the reimbursement fees were not so dismal that they do not cover the basic cost of a procedure. For example, to replace a broken tooth on a denture, I have to pay an outside lab $120 to $130, and I am reimbursed $51.17. This is a two-appointment procedure, and it means I am essentially paying to provide this care and not covering my costs at all (i.e. keeping the lights on, paying my staff). This is not sustainable and forces me to limit the number of Medicaid patients I can see, simply because it’s impossible for offices to absorb that loss for a high number of patients."
Waterloo District Trustee Dr. Mike Stufflebeam (Marshalltown) shared his take as a pediatric dentist with the
Times-Republican.
"It is unfortunate some families must drive so far and miss so much work and school to get the care that they desperately need," Dr. Stufflebeam said. "I have seen the consequences of what can happen when dental issues are not properly addressed. Without consistent access to care, dental problems will always get worse and become more serious and more costly to treat. Iowa has a simple choice. We can either continue to underfund the dental Medicaid program...or adequately fund the program to ensure that children of low-income Iowans find a local dental home where their oral health can be maintained."