New Highmark Dental Program Targets Diabetics

March 24--Regular dental care and treatment for gum disease can lower medical costs by $1,800 annually for diabetics, health insurer Highmark Inc. said on Friday.

As a result, Highmark said its dental insurance subsidiary, United Concordia, will begin offering UCWellness.

Targeting diabetics, UCWellness provides 100 percent coverage for maintenance following periodontal treatment, certain surgical procedures that treat gum disease and the removal of plaque and tartar.

Citing a study by a University of Pennsylvania researcher, funded by Highmark and United Concordia, Highmark said diabetics who had gum disease treated and managed had 33 percent fewer hospitalizations and 13 percent fewer doctor visits than diabetics who didn't seek dental treatment.

"These numbers clearly demonstrate the importance of the study's findings for people with diabetes, as well as the impact the treatment of gum disease can have on the rising medical costs associated with diabetes," said Dr. James Bramson, chief dental officer for United Concordia.

The study, conducted by Dr. Marjorie Jeffcoat of Penn'sSchool of Dental Medicine, analyzed three years of data from nearly 1.7 million individuals with United Concordia dental and Highmark medical coverage, Highmark said.

"It is really a landmark study because of its size and three-year duration," Bramson said. "These numbers clearly demonstrate the importance of the study's findings for people with diabetes, as well as the impact the treatment of gum disease can have on the rising medical costs associated with diabetes."

More than 25.8 million adults and children had diabetes in 2011 -- double the number in 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Highmark said Jeffcoat presented her findings yesterday at the annual meeting of the American Association for Dental Research.

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