Illinois Expands Dental Care Access for Kids

A recent policy change in Illinois Medicaid billing is set to make dental care more accessible for low-income residents, addressing long-standing barriers to essential dental procedures.

State Rep. Bill Hauter, a board-certified specialist in Emergency Medicine and Anesthesiology, has been a strong advocate for improving pediatric dental care access.

Hauter, who serves on the state’s Medicaid Working Group, highlighted the importance of addressing anesthesia availability and reimbursement as barriers to care.

“I have been working to increase access for pediatric dental care,” Hauter said. “Often a huge barrier for needed dental procedures on children is the lack of anesthesia availability and minimal reimbursement.”

Previously, Medicaid reimbursements for dental anesthesia were limited to dentists. However, the new policy allows medical anesthesiologists and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) to receive reimbursements for providing anesthesia services in clinics, ambulatory surgical treatment centers, and hospital outpatient settings. This expansion ensures more low-income families can access necessary dental procedures without incurring steep out-of-pocket costs.

The change follows a 33% rate increase for sedation evaluation, deep sedation, and IV sedation services included in the Medicaid omnibus bill. These adjustments aim to enhance the availability of deep sedation and IV sedation dentistry services across the state.

Hauter acknowledged the issue may not garner widespread attention but emphasized its significance: “I’m excited that more kids will get dental and safe anesthesia care.”