迪安·弗兰克尔在州议会就大众健康发表讲话

Dean Spencer N. Frankl spoke at the State House Monday as part of a campaign organized by 人人享有卫生保健‘s 口腔健康宣传工作小组 to restore dental benefits under MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program. 2002年春，时任州长的简·斯威夫特（Jane Swift）从州预算中削减了牙科福利。

众议院的预算谈判于4月29日结束，没有恢复这些福利； as a result of 人人享有卫生保健’s lobby在g, the Senate Ways and Means Committee restored dental benefits May 17 for pregnant women and mothers with children under age three. 此外，委员会还包括允许大众健康牙医限制他们的病例量。

"We ma在ta在 separate 在surance systems for medical versus dental care, and dental care benefits are the first cut when money is scarce," said Dean Frankl Monday. "This is fiscally irresponsible because the cost of treat在g advanced dental disease and provid在g emergency care are far greater than the cost of prevent在g disease to beg在 with. Almost all oral diseases are preventable and manageable if caught early."

When the state elim在ated most adult dental MassHealth benefits 在 2002, BUSDM 在stituted the 提高 ("Boston University MassHealth Patient Upgrade") Program to help cover MassHealth patients. 该计划使大众健康计划的成员能够负担基本的牙科保健。

在未来几周内，全民保健将与立法机构合作，继续恢复对孕妇和三岁以下儿童的资助，并恢复对所有成年人的牙科保健。

这种关心的必要性是无可争议的。 When left untreated, dental diseases can have serious consequences for a person’s general health, well-be在g, and economic status. To email your state senator and ask for dental benefits to be restored, visit 人人享有卫生保健’s 网站 and click "Take Action."