Morgan Scholtes BS, Carissa Comnick MS, Julie C. Reynolds DDS, MS, Aparna Ingleshwar BDS, MPH, Susan C. McKernan DMD, MS, PhD, Peter C. Damiano DDS, MPH
{"title":"Dentist attitudes toward an annual benefit maximum in Iowa's adult Medicaid program","authors":"Morgan Scholtes BS, Carissa Comnick MS, Julie C. Reynolds DDS, MS, Aparna Ingleshwar BDS, MPH, Susan C. McKernan DMD, MS, PhD, Peter C. Damiano DDS, MPH","doi":"10.1111/jphd.12543","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Objectives</h3>\n \n <p>The Dental Wellness Plan (DWP) provides dental coverage for adult Medicaid enrollees in Iowa. In September 2018, a $1000 annual benefit maximum (ABM) was implemented in the DWP program. The aim of this study was to explore private dentists' attitudes toward ABMs and factors associated with ABM attitudes.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Methods</h3>\n \n <p>The data source was a mailed survey administered in spring 2019 to all private practice dentists in Iowa. The two dependent variables were (1) attitude toward the $1000 ABM and (2) attitude toward <i>any</i> ABM generally. Independent variables included demographic and practice-related factors, and participation in and attitudes toward the DWP. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable analyses were conducted.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Results</h3>\n \n <p>While over half (56%) of providers reported a positive attitude toward “Any ABM,” less than half (40%) reported a positive attitude toward the “$1000 ABM.” Attitudes toward both “$1000 ABM” and “Any ABM” were significantly and positively associated with attitudes toward DWP overall and toward DWP structure. Independent variables that were significantly associated with both the “$1000 ABM” and “Any ABM” included overall attitude toward the DWP, attitude toward DWP structure, and practice busyness.</p>\n </section>\n \n <section>\n \n <h3> Conclusions</h3>\n \n <p>Utilizing an ABM, particularly one set at $1000 for a Medicaid program, elicits mixed attitudes among dentists. Future research should evaluate the impact of Medicaid ABMs on long term dentist participation and patient's ability to receive needed care.</p>\n </section>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":16913,"journal":{"name":"Journal of public health dentistry","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2022-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of public health dentistry","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jphd.12543","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"DENTISTRY, ORAL SURGERY & MEDICINE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives
The Dental Wellness Plan (DWP) provides dental coverage for adult Medicaid enrollees in Iowa. In September 2018, a $1000 annual benefit maximum (ABM) was implemented in the DWP program. The aim of this study was to explore private dentists' attitudes toward ABMs and factors associated with ABM attitudes.
Methods
The data source was a mailed survey administered in spring 2019 to all private practice dentists in Iowa. The two dependent variables were (1) attitude toward the $1000 ABM and (2) attitude toward any ABM generally. Independent variables included demographic and practice-related factors, and participation in and attitudes toward the DWP. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable analyses were conducted.
Results
While over half (56%) of providers reported a positive attitude toward “Any ABM,” less than half (40%) reported a positive attitude toward the “$1000 ABM.” Attitudes toward both “$1000 ABM” and “Any ABM” were significantly and positively associated with attitudes toward DWP overall and toward DWP structure. Independent variables that were significantly associated with both the “$1000 ABM” and “Any ABM” included overall attitude toward the DWP, attitude toward DWP structure, and practice busyness.
Conclusions
Utilizing an ABM, particularly one set at $1000 for a Medicaid program, elicits mixed attitudes among dentists. Future research should evaluate the impact of Medicaid ABMs on long term dentist participation and patient's ability to receive needed care.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Public Health Dentistry is devoted to the advancement of public health dentistry through the exploration of related research, practice, and policy developments. Three main types of articles are published: original research articles that provide a significant contribution to knowledge in the breadth of dental public health, including oral epidemiology, dental health services, the behavioral sciences, and the public health practice areas of assessment, policy development, and assurance; methods articles that report the development and testing of new approaches to research design, data collection and analysis, or the delivery of public health services; and review articles that synthesize previous research in the discipline and provide guidance to others conducting research as well as to policy makers, managers, and other dental public health practitioners.