State Medicaid Eligibility Criteria and Unmet Preventive Dental Care Need for CSHCN

To determine if Medicaid eligibility is associated with unmet preventive dental care need for Medicaid-enrolled CSHCN.

We analyzed the 2009-2010 National Survey of CSHCN and focused on Medicaid-enrolled children ages 3-17. The outcome measure was parent-reported unmet need for preventive dental care. The predictor variable was state Medicaid eligibility criteria, categorized as broad [>250 % Federal Poverty Level (FPL)], moderate (200-249 % FPL), and narrow (<200 % FPL). Multiple variable multilevel logistic regression models estimated the association between state-level eligibility criteria and variability in unmet need.

The multilevel models indicated no significant association between Medicaid eligibility criteria and unmet preventive dental care need. CSHCN with more severe chronic health conditions had significantly greater odds of unmet need (OR 1.52; 95 % CI 1.28, 1.82) and CSHCN with a medical home had significantly lower odds (OR 0.61; 95 % CI 0.50, 0.75).

There is significant state variability in unmet need for preventive dental care for Medicaid-enrolled CSHCN. Broadening Medicaid eligibility criteria alone is not likely to address the preventive dental care needs of CSHCN, which has policy implications for improving oral health disparities for publicly-insured CSHCN.