The effects of Medicaid expansions and reimbursement increases on dentists' participation

North Carolina Medicaid increased nominal Medicaid reimbursement to dentists 23% from 1988 to 1991 and doubled enrollment through eligibility expansions from 1985 to 1991. Using Medicaid claims data and panel data techniques, this analysis investigates the effect of these policy changes on the probability that a dentist participated in Medicaid, and on the number of Medicaid children seen per provider per quarter. The results suggest that eligibility expansions and reimbursement rate increases were only marginally effective in increasing access to dental services for the Medicaid population.