June 6, 2014 — Illinois lawmakers have passed a bill to restore adult dental coverage for Medicaid patients after emergency room costs for dental problems mushroomed when the program was cut. The bill now goes to Gov. Pat Quinn for signing.
SB741 would restore funding for the program on July 1. The program was cut two years ago after legislators decided that Medicaid spending was too high.
Illinois found that the program cuts did not save the state money, and instead they cost Illinois residents more money, according to Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago). The cuts resulted in overutilization of the state’s emergency departments and interfered with the delivery of healthcare to other patients in need, he told the Illinois Issues blog.
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