Early changes in health coverage and access to dental care associated with Medicaid expansion under the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Abstract The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has affected early changes in health coverage and access to dental care services in states that expanded Medicaid versus those that did not is currently not well known. Using data from the National Health Interview Survey, we found that, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, states that had previously expanded their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act had lower uninsurance rates for White low-income adults (−8.8 percentage points; 95% CI: −16.6, −1.0) and lower dental uninsurance rates for all low-income adults (−5.4 percentage points; 95% CI: −10.4, −0.5). Our findings also suggest that the combination of Medicaid expansion with coverage of adult dental benefits in Medicaid was associated with improved dental coverage and access to dental care during the pandemic. With the expiration of the public health emergency declaration, states are considering strategies to prevent disruptions in Medicaid coverage. Our study adds to the evidence of the importance of Medicaid expansion in stabilizing health coverage during a public health crisis.