Almost half of Americans enrolled in Medicare did not visit a dentist in 2018. That is a problem that goes far beyond having white teeth or a beautiful smile – poor dental care can exacerbate serious chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The low frequency of dental visits surfaced in a recent report by the Kaiser Family Foundation. It points to a fundamental gap in Medicare coverage – one that Democrats in the U.S. Congress hope to close as part of the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senates-reconciliation-process-its-not-way-it-sounds-2021-08-10 now under consideration. The legislation would create a standard benefit in Medicare for dental, vision and hearing care. That would be a game-changer for Medicare, and for seniors.
