A new survey shows more than three-quarters of Arizona voters favor adding dental coverage to Medicare.
Arizonans across the political spectrum are ready for Medicare dental coverage. A new YouGov survey found that an overwhelming majority of likely midterm voters in Arizona – including 56% of conservative voters and 93% of liberal voters – favor adding dental benefits to Medicare.
Three out of four Arizona voters (76%) surveyed in July support adding dental coverage to Medicare as proposed in the $3.5 trillion budget plan introduced in the Senate. More than 9 in 10 respondents believe dental care is a necessary part of overall health care and 56% of respondents hold their members of Congress responsible for the current lack of coverage.
“The affordability of dental care is a leading concern for older Arizonans,” said Maddy Bynes, director of the Arizona Association of Area Agencies on Aging. “Accessing dental care helps to increase overall health, nutrition, and to reduce social isolation. We support adding dental coverage into Medicare to improve the lives of older Arizonans.”
The survey also revealed the human and social cost of inaction: Half of Arizona voters, aged 65 or older reported avoiding necessary dental visits due to cost. Emergency dental visits for preventable oral health conditions cost the U.S. health system an estimated $2 billion per year.
“Oral health coverage is critical for preventing serious health problems, from cardiovascular disease to diabetes.” said Ifetayo Johnson, Executive Director of the Oral Health and Progress Equity Network (OPEN). “Strengthening Medicare by adding dental coverage for all is an important step in advancing health equity for older Americans, people living with disabilities, communities of color, tribal communities, and those living in rural areas. No Arizonan should have to forgo necessary health care because it is unaffordable.”
The YouGov poll was conducted on July 7-19, 2021 among a representative sample of 414 likely 2022 midterm voters in Arizona. The margin of error is +/- 6.2%. The poll was commissioned by CareQuest Institute, Families USA, and the Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN), a group of organizations dedicated to strengthening access to the oral health coverage needed to keep Americans healthy.
About Medicare Dental Coverage
Medicare does not currently include coverage for dental health services as a standard benefit. Of the 60 million older adults and individuals with disabilities who receive Medicare benefits, 24 million do not have dental coverage. Lower-income adults and people of color are overrepresented in this group. Poor oral health is linked with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and pneumonia, the risk of which increases among older adults.