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Family Dental Clinic cheers end of Medicaid cap
Sliding scale keeps care affordable
By Julie Estlick
When Dr. Selissa Mantas思考着她每天在家庭牙科诊所看到的情况, she can’t help but smile. The staff excel at putting people at ease, 提供一个温馨的环境,倾听那些多年没有去看牙医的病人.
A program of the Health District of Northern Larimer County, 这家诊所为那些负担不起牙科护理费用的病人提供从日常清洁到假牙的一切服务.
“我们很高兴帮助社区成员克服经济障碍,获得他们需要和应得的护理,” says Mantas, one of four dentists at the clinic. Whether it’s an emergency with pain, swelling, or a broken tooth, or a simple checkup, we want people to come to us and we’ll work with them.”
Specifically, 家庭牙科诊所为居住在该地区的人提供服务,这些人要么通过科罗拉多州的医疗补助计划(科罗拉多州的医疗补助计划)和儿童健康计划获得保险 + (CHP+) or have no dental coverage but qualify based on household earnings. It charges based on sliding scale fees, 此外,可能还会有额外的资金用于支付患者的自付费用.
Health First Colorado provides medical, dental, 以及为收入较低或残疾的科罗拉多人提供行为健康福利, while CHP+ is low-cost insurance for pregnant women and children. 科罗拉多州健康第一最近的变化——包括取消成人牙科手术的年度最高福利, 以及数千名拉里默县居民失去医疗补助的更新过程,使家庭牙科诊所的服务成为重要的社区资源.
Medicaid removes benefit limit
当科罗拉多州健康第一公司最近取消了成人牙科福利的年度上限时,曼塔斯和她的同事们欢呼雀跃. 现在,患者可以完成治疗,而不必担心他们的福利用完,不得不等待他们的福利更新或自掏腰包. (一些程序仍然需要科罗拉多州健康第一的预先授权.)
“In the past, 我们可能会完成一个人治疗计划的一半或四分之三, then have to pause,” Mantas explains. “Obviously, the cavities in their mouth are not going to pause. You see someone who needs a simple filling, 但是他们的福利被花光了——8个月后他们回来了,现在他们需要一个皇冠, root canal, or an extraction.”
With the policy change, 诊所工作人员希望患者能够及时完成所需的治疗, minimize out-of-pocket costs, and stay healthier. In addition, 患者可以更多地参与他们的治疗计划,并看到他们想象的最终结果. For instance, 需要部分假牙的人必须首先拔掉他所有的蛀牙,并有一个稳定的牙龈和牙齿健康基础来安放假牙. With the annual benefit maximum removed, 在他的假牙被科罗拉多州健康第一保险公司覆盖之前,他不必担心几个月里会缺几颗牙.
Indeed, taking care of your mouth is critical to your overall health, and should not be neglected, Mantas insists. “Your mouth is not isolated from the rest of your body. 与牙龈疾病有关的细菌会进入你的血液,损害你的健康.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, 口腔细菌和炎症会导致包括心脏病在内的几种严重疾病, stroke, pneumonia, premature birth, and low birth weight babies.
健康的微笑对一个人的自尊和生活质量也很重要. “A lot of patients say they need to find a job, 但他们回避面试,因为他们对自己的嘴型感到尴尬,” Mantas says. “我们把微笑还给他们,这样他们就有信心重返职场.”
To that end, 今年秋天,家庭牙科诊所将增加第五名牙医,以更好地服务那些负担不起全部护理费用的地区居民. Over 8,拉里默县的500人在5月至8月期间停止或拒绝了他们的健康第一科罗拉多州或CHP+福利,当时该州在COVID-19大流行期间暂时停止此类检查后开始验证客户是否有资格参加这些计划.
其中一些人可能会在60天的特殊登记期内通过雇主或在科罗拉多州健康连接市场上找到牙科保险. If you need insurance help, 联系拉里默健康连接的健康保险专家,获取免费帮助 970-472-0444 or see the special insert in this issue
如果你或你认识的人目前没有牙科保险或有医疗补助,正在寻找牙科护理, call the Family Dental Clinic at 970-416-5331 to see if you qualify for services.
You’ll be glad you did, says Leticia Alcocer, 在诊所工作了11年的双语牙科服务指南:“病人告诉我,他们来到我们诊所时感到很受欢迎, even though they have limited resources. 从前台接待的那一刻起,他们就受到了尊重. And the doctor explains everything to them. They like our environment.”
Are you a district resident? |
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不知道你是否住在十大娱乐彩票平台的范围内? Included within the district are the cities of Fort Collins, Timnath, Laporte, Wellington, Bellvue, Livermore, Red Feather Lakes, Virginia Dale, and far west neighborhoods of Windsor. 山区社区的炉灶草原,Poudre公园,和乡村也属于该地区. To view a map of boundary lines, go to w-s-f.com/resources/district-boundaries. |
Affordable Care |
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家庭牙科诊所为医疗保健区有医疗补助的居民和那些没有牙科保险的人提供服务,他们根据家庭收入符合条件. Sliding scale fees are:
一些资金可能用于支付需要额外帮助的患者的自付费用. 新患者与诊所工作人员会面,以确定他们是否有资格接受治疗, verify information, and explain potential costs for services. Ready to get started? Call the Family Dental Clinic to make an appointment at 970-416-5331. |