Managed Care for Medicaid Dental Services: Insights from Kentucky
A growing number of states are administering Medicaid managed care contracts that include both medical and dental services. In 2015, Kentucky identified dental services as one of seven key areas where the state wanted to achieve measurable improvement in its Medicaid managed care contracts. This case study examines the history of dental managed care in Kentucky and highlights lessons that may inform other states’ work. Key areas of inquiry include:
- Methods to assure provider network adequacy
- Supports to connect enrollees to dental care and support healthy behaviors
- Oversight mechanisms, and
- Strategies to connect dental care to medical care and promote quality improvement.
A companion webinar features a conversation with state officials from Kentucky, Arizona, and Pennsylvania about their experience with administering dental benefits using managed care.
This project was supported by the American Dental Association.
Read the full brief.
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
