Romney says Dems should include dental care in Obamacare....

[msongs]

I think that's a great idea as dentists are among the biggest scammers in the medical industry and ROMNEY wants us to have that. What a nice guy for Romney to tell dems to do this while he is having his post-election phone chat with his big money losers.

thanks, Mitt.

[Deep13]

1. While I am not going to paint with a broad brush...

...I do think dentistry should be included.

[Arcanetrance]

2. I respectfully disagree

I don't think dentists are a big scam I think there are those in most of the medical professions that do scam the system dentists do have use

[SheilaT]

3. Dentists are scammers? Would you care to back up this

statement with some facts?

[msongs]

6. one xray and a 5 minute consultation for $500. why is it so much? as the lady said,

cash customers have to pay a lot more because insurance patients pay so little.

[Sgent]

16. Where are you?

I live in a relatively nice area of town and see a private practice dentist.

My last cleaning, including x-rays, cavity check, and examination for growths etc., was $130 cash.

A lot of dentists still do not take insurance of any type, or at least aren't "in network" so they do not reduce fees for the insurance company.

[Raine]

20. My dentist always give me a nice discount because I pay in cash. I was there this week and

it was $120.00 for a teeth cleaning and an Xray of an area that has an infection. My dentist spent almost an hour with me. I'm in the burbs of Los Angeles County. Maybe you need to consider finding another dentist.

[demosincebirth]

25. Are you sure it wasn't a hygienist that cleaned you teeth. I'm not sure dentist do cleaning unless

it's deep cleaning and that cost about 300 bucks a quadrant. I live in the suburbs of Oakland, That's what the going price is here. It's true, it's a scam.

[brokechris]

4. I agree!

However, here in California, we have free dental care if a person is on some kinds of public assistance. I guess all states don't do this? They should. Dental is an important aspect of overall health

[dhol82]

5. Dentist here

Ummmm - why do you think dentists are such big scammers?

It would be nice to have dental in obamacare. Not sure it could be afforded. Dental care is expensive - no way around it.

Think about this - you have one doctor with one patient for one hour. How much do you think that should cost? Thinking about all the overhead, of course. Not to mention lab fees if needed.

Not excusing anything. Just pointing out economics. Might be cheaper in the deep south or astronomical in NYC.

[demosincebirth]

11. Root canal $1300, less than an hour. Too much? I guess it depends how much money you have.

[NotThisTime]

17. 790 here.... May I say my child had over thirty hours of work done for 6K because of the negligence

of her old dentist. The new dentist spent well over 30 hours in her mouth, six grand is a lot but nobody else would never have been as thorough or cost as little for so much work. Now she needs a root canal for one tooth that could not be saved... That has to be done at the endodontist, not the dentists... without insurance, insurance paid 1500.00 for how much work? 6500 before the root canal. Dental insurance as it is, is a freaking scam.

The scammers are the dentists she had who couldn't or didn't read an X Ray for 4 years.... but that's for a lawyer and the State board and eventually a jury to figure out.....

[kentuck]

7. If he had said that during the campaign?

He may have won?

[TheKentuckian]

8. Finally a non-stupid statement that should be listened to from the weird one.

His stopped clock is slow to come around but holds true. 65 year clock, I guess.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Actually I agree with Mitt

for once he had a good idea. Dental care is very important to the well being of the total patient.

Of course I am assuming Mitt actually said that.

[JoeyT]

10. Most dentists aren't actually scammers,

that equipment they use is just unbelievably expensive, and only good for so long before it has to be replaced/recalibrated. (I'd say all dentists, but I'm sure there are some somewhere that are scammers.)

But yeah, I agree dental health is a big part of health care. I think dental should definitely be included.

[braddy]

12. It makes sense.

[FreeState]

13. I agree however Dental insurance needs an overhaul

it does not cover much at all. I have spent 12K in the last three years, with insurance. I would like to see dental insurance work more like medical insurance where there is a limited co-pay for the year rather than a limited pay out for the year (usually $1000).

[davidn3600]

14. I wouldnt say they are scammers though

Dentistry (especially cosmetic dentistry) is a bit of an art involved. Not only is there an attempt to restore function and health to a damaged tooth but also make it look good again. There is skill and experience required for that. Not to mention the restorations such as a crown is created at a lab where a technician puts in time and effort to make it look like a real tooth and ensure a good fit.

The racket in the profession may be with the specialists, specifically endodontists.

[longship]

15. Dentures for everybody!!!!

Look Ma!! No Cavities!!!

You don't need Crest anymore with Rmoney's new plan. Maybe Polident and OraFix, though. (Both brought to you by Bain Capital.)

[spanone]

18. from the guy who would repeal it on day one?

[ProSense]

19. Screw Mitt. Why the hell

does anyone care what a Republican asshole who ran on repealing the health care law has to say? Democrats have a strong advocate for dental care reform, Senator Sanders.

Dental Care

Sen. Bernie Sanders recognizes that oral health is an integral part of overall health. Yet millions of people today are unable to get the dental care they need. As a result, cavities, which are highly preventable, are the most common chronic disease of childhood and one in four adults age 65 and older has lost all of his or her teeth. Untreated oral health conditions can lead to not only tooth loss, pain and infection, but also contribute to an increased risk for serious medical conditions such as diabetes and poor birth outcomes. Dental problems also result in missed work and school, poor nutrition and a decline in overall well-being. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, Sen. Sanders has introduced comprehensive legislation to address the dental crisis by improving access to oral health care.

About 40 years ago, when Sen. Sanders lived in the tiny town of Standard in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, he saw a young man whose teeth were rotting in his mouth. It was a sight he never forgot.

Lack of access to affordable dental care is not just a problem in Vermont, but it is also a national problem, one too often ignored. Low-income families, minorities, pregnant women, the elderly, those with disabilities and those who live in rural communities often have a much harder time accessing and affording a dental provider than other groups.

While tooth decay is almost entirely preventable, people who do not see a dental provider do not get the early diagnoses, preventive services and early interventions that can halt or slow the progress of most oral diseases. As a result, one quarter of children aged 2-5 and one half of those 12-15 have tooth decay. In Vermont in 2009, 62,000 adults and 10,000 seniors went without dental care because they could not afford it.

As many as 130 million Americans do not have dental insurance coverage. Traditional Medicare does not offer dental benefits, and many veterans do not qualify for benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Dental services are a required benefit for children but an optional benefit for adults who have Medicaid.

More than 47 million people live in designated "dental health shortage areas" where there are too few dentists to meet existing needs. Only 20 percent of the nation's dentists provide care to people with Medicaid, which means that many low income families, seniors and people with disabilities have a difficult time finding a dentist.

One piece of good news: Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) play a critical role in providing cost effective dental care to over 3.5 million Americans including about 25,000 Vermonters, regardless of their ability to pay. Sen. Sanders is committed to expanding health centers and other options for the delivering high quality dental care at an affordable cost.

In February 2012, Sen. Sanders held a hearing on the crisis in oral health care and released a report on the issue.

Then, in June 2012, Sen. Sanders introduced the Comprehensive Dental Reform Act of 2012 (S. 3272) to address some of these problems and bring an end the dental care crisis.

This bill, which is supported by over 40 organizations, extends comprehensive dental health insurance to millions of Americans who do not have coverage today. It creates new access points for those who currently do not have a dentist. In addition, it works to expand the number of dentists and dental professionals by investing in education and workforce development, and by funding research into improving access.

Sen. Sanders has said: "When we talk about the health care crisis in America we often ignore a very important aspect of that crisis: that tens of millions of Americans are unable to access affordable dental care and they suffer as a result of that." He is committed, through this bill and other efforts, to improving access to safe and affordable dental care for all Americans.

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/legislation/issue/?id=6ef9bf37-1d51-402f-a4f5-d2d5572a3cf3

[Raine]

21. My dentist is not a scammer, I would like to see dentists included

but I would never believe that lie from Mittens.

[dem4ward]

22. Dental Included! The first thing Mittens said that actually makes sense!

[Shilo]

23. And we care what Romney says why exactly?

[davidn3600]

24. Dental AND mental health are frequently ignored parts of overall healthcare

Everyone concentrates on weight, BP, heart rate, cholesterol, cancer, etc.. which is all important. But dental and mental health are just as important but frequently ignored or overlooked.

People with mental disorders have a higher chance of medical problems. They tend to not take care of their body as well, but there is also a mind-body connection. If your mind is sick, your body is more prone to become sick as well.

And people with gum disease is also more likely to have heart disease and other illnesses. According to one study, 80% of Americans have some form of gingivitis or periodontal disease. What happens is this bacteria that is causing gum disease works its way into the bloodstream and then can effect organs like the heart and the arteries. Keeping your gums healthy keeps the bacteria out of your blood.