1706-13351

This grant provides continued support to the Center for Medicare Advocacy to advocate for the coverage of medically necessary oral health care by Medicare and continue to engage with a group of national stakeholders working to include a comprehensive oral health benefit in Medicare. The Center for Medicare Advocacy focuses its work on improving the ability of older people and people with disabilities to access coverage for oral health care across the nation. By doing so, the Center will facilitate access to critical health care and reduce unnecessary illness and death as well as the cost associated with higher levels of care and emergency services required when preventive care is not provided. The project will focus on ensuring that oral health is a key component of health policy by working with congressional and executive champions to affirm Medicare's coverage and engaging national and state-based oral health stakeholders to advocate for a preventive oral health benefit. The proposal aligns with the Oral Health 2020 goal of including an adult dental benefit in publicly funded health coverage and the target that Medicare includes an extensive dental benefit. $83,903 will be used to support staff time and travel associated with implementing this project.