California Dental Association opposes proposed elimination of adult Denti-Cal.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 10, 1995--The following is a statement from Dr. Dale Redig, executive director of the California Dental Association, regarding the governor's proposal in the 1995-96 budget to eliminate adult Denti-Cal:

``The CDA is strongly opposed to the elimination of adult dental care benefits. We continue to believe significant cost savings can be attained through program reforms currently in place in the private sector. In the last three years, proposals to eliminate adult dental care benefits have been rejected by the legislature.

``The preventive nature of dental visits actually saves California taxpayers millions of dollars in costly emergency room visits.

``The total elimination of the Denti-Cal program will adversely affect access to quality dental care for millions of Californians who need the care the most.'' -0-

The Consequences of Eliminating Adult Dental Benefits

The Facts

Governor Wilson's proposed 1995-96 budget seeks elimination of adult dental benefits for the Medi-Cal program. This is the fourth consecutive year the governor has asked the legislature to deny these important services to a large segment of the population. In all previous years, the legislature has rejected these attempts.

Cost Savings

-- The preventive nature of dental care visits actually saves

California taxpayers in the long run by reducing costly emergency

room visits by Medi-Cal patients.

-- Administrative costs for the Denti-Cal program are only about

five percent of the total program cost.

-- Denti-Cal has a multi-level quality assurance strategy to control

costs and monitor care. These mechanisms save the state millions

of dollars by screening out improper billing procedures while

preventing unnecessary and inappropriate care.

-- Denti-Cal accounts for about five percent of the state's total

Medi-Cal budget.

-- The California Dental Association feels additional cost savings

can be achieved through program reforms currently in place in the

private sector.

Quality of Care

-- Dentists are often the first line of defense in detecting oral

cancers and oral indications of the presence of HIV infections.

Without funding for adult dental care, those kinds of preventive

services will be lost.

-- The current Denti-Cal program ensures care is appropriate and of

the highest quality by randomly screening the services provided

to beneficiaries and conducting follow-up examinations.

-- To ensure quality cost control, computer analyses of practice

trends and random claims submitted for payment are routinely

conducted to identify irregularities. Once detected, an

investigation is launched that can result in a dental office

audit or a prior authorization requirement for all service

provided by a particular dentist.

Access

-- Of the 4.7 million Californians eligible for Denti-Cal, about

1.5 million participate in the program. More than 500,000 of

them are adults.

-- The elimination of adult dental benefits will lead to the closing

of publicly funded dental clinics statewide. If clinics close,

adults and children will have less access to dental care.

-- Elimination of this program would force these patients into

emergency rooms where the treatment is far more expensive.

-- The elimination of adult care will also result in fewer children

receiving dental care. Studies show that adults not receiving

care are less likely to have their children receive dental care.

The California Dental Association represents more than 70 percent of all licensed dentists in the state of California.

CONTACT: California Dental Association

              Dr. Dale Redig, 916/443-3382
                or
              Doug Curley, 916/443-3382, ext. 4550