The Medicaid cuts in the Trump Administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill” enacted into law on July 4th, will likely have a negative impact on Massachusetts dental health access, according to the Care Quest Institute for Oral Health. 

The MassHealth program, which administers Medicaid benefits for dental care for low-income residents in Massachusetts, relies on Community Health Centers and private practice dentists to provide dental care to MassHealth participants, and cuts will make it difficult for state and private providers to make up the monetary differences without federal funding.

The cuts will likely force states to reduce or eliminate Medicaid adult dental benefits (MADBs), and with nearly 72 million people relying on Medicaid for health care, the Care Quest Institute says that it is a critical lifeline to dental care for people with disabilities, children, older adults, and families with low incomes.

Massachusetts is one of those states that will have to shift costs to Community Health Centers, resulting in a difficult burden to maintain service to many residents and remain financially stable.  

Private practice dentists, who already receive significantly lower reimbursements from MassHealth compared to the private sector, will see their revenue drop even further, making it even more burdensome to maintain their voluntary membership as a MassHealth provider.   

The Care Institute calls provisions to cut Medicaid in the new law “a short-sighted decision that harms patients, burdens health care systems, and ultimately costs more in the long run.” In any scenario, changes to dental care through MassHealth are sure to change.

Brian Hatch
Hatch Legal Group
8 North Main Street, Suite 403
Attleboro, MA 02703
HatchLegalGroup.com
brianhatch@hatchlawoffices.com
508-222-6400