One in five people on Medi-Cal health insurance does not use their dental benefits, so the California Department of Health Care Services is spreading the word.
The state reinstated full dental for adults on Medi-Cal in 2018 after cutting it in 2009, so some people may not even know they have coverage.
Dana Durham, dental division chief for the California Department of Health Care Services, explained the benefits people can claim.
“Full-scope Medi-Cal dental services includes checkups, cleanings and X-rays, fillings, root canals, and crowns, dentures, braces for qualifying children, emergency care,” Durham outlined.
More than 15 million Californians depend on Medi-Cal, including three in seven children in the state but fewer than half of the kids actually see a dentist. Families can find a participating dentist on the website SmileCalifornia.org. Due to budget cuts, undocumented adults who qualify for Medi-Cal will lose dental benefits, except for emergency services, starting in July of next year.
Donny Shiu, vision program chief for the department, noted Medi-Cal started offering full vision coverage in 2022, which includes a routine eye exam and eyeglasses every 24 months.
“Medi-Cal is addressing these key social drivers of health,” Shiu emphasized. “The ability to see clearly is impactful for low-income adults, seniors, and people with disability who may otherwise go without their vision care.”
Vision benefits also cover tests and treatment for glaucoma and macular degeneration, and even artificial eyes for people who lose an eye.
