Back in mid-April, TDMR sent to our dental Medicaid provider mailing list a simple one question survey – What is your biggest practice challenge?
We received over 90 responses and results are now tabulated.
The survey shows that Medicaid dentists are now most concerned about a morass of problems with DMOs and other Medicaid issues that are seriously hurting their morale and financial viability.
Our last year’s survey had provider rights as the number one concern for Medicaid dentists. It is now just one of the issues with Medicaid in general. It appears that some of headway has been made with the passing of SB 1803 in allaying concerns about provider rights.
Survey Results – 59% have problems with Medicaid
This year’s survey shows that:
59% of Medicaid dentists who responded have serious issues with Medicaid that adversely affect their practice and financial viability – DMOs refusing to pay for services, low reimbursement rates, assignment of dental “homes,” worries about compliance and OIG audits, and red tape.
15% are not getting enough patients
15% have problems with Medicaid patients not showing up for appointments
11% have internal staff problems
6% Miscellaneous
One-day seminar on Medicaid issues being planned
Because of these survey results, TDMR is looking at setting up a one-day seminar to cover these issues to help Medicaid dentists.
We would invite a number of experts to come and speak to and with attendees to provide as much resolution to these issues as possible for them.
Interest for a dental Medicaid provider group?
We are also now wondering whether or not there is enough interest among Medicaid dentists to form a separate organization that would represent the interests of dental Medicaid providers in Texas. Such an organization would speak and lobby for Medicaid dentists and attempt to work with insurance companies to rectify faulty procedures.
Follow up survey
Consequently, we have another short survey for dental Medicaid providers on whether a seminar would be of interest as well as such an organization. It is multiple choice, so it should only take less than a minute to fill out.
We also would like ask those dentists who have had problems with HHSC to tell us about their difficulty. The survey is anonymous unless you provide your email address for us to follow up on your story.
PLEASE TAKE OUR FOLLOW UP SURVEY, CLICK ON THIS LINK
I think that Texas did good by expanding the care to the indigent, but did not realize how much the Texans really needed. And now that it has cost so much, it has caught them off guard, and instead of being proud of our dentists taking care of the needy, they are trying to incriminate these dentists wrongfully on technicalities that they call fraud or the like. I think Texas is better than that and should only be investigating obvious intentional fraud, for example, filing a claim on a patient that has never been seen. Not something like the clinic forgot to or did not know to put a Q6 modifier, or the like. I pray for everyone for a resolution in this matter. May God comfort those souls, who have given their life to help those in need, and now are under fire in this most unloving matter. I will help in any way I can. I will fight for what is the Christian way.
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