Abstract

The Affordable Care Act Marketplaces may improve access to dental insurance, but little is known about the availability of such coverage. We used data from state and federal Marketplace sources to describe the availability of adult dental plans, including Stand-alone Dental Plans and those embedded in medical plans. We also examined the characteristics of counties with limited dental insurer participation and those that experienced a net loss of Stand-alone Dental Plan insurers between 2016 and 2023. We found that in 2023, at least one Stand-alone Dental Plan was offered in every state, and thirty-six states offered embedded dental plans. Most counties (63.6percent) had access to more than five insurers offering adult dental plans, whereas approximately 4percent had only one insurer offering adult dental plans. Counties in state-based Marketplaces, rural areas, and dentist shortage areas were more likely to be counties with limited dental insurer participation. The net loss of Stand-alone Dental Plans between 2016 and 2023 was more common in state-based Marketplaces and disadvantaged counties. Our findings can inform future policies to improve the dental insurance Marketplace and access to affordable dental care.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.