Findings from University of Iowa Yields New Findings on Managed Care (Dentist Attitudes Toward an Annual Benefit Maximum In Iowa’s Adult Medicaid Program): Managed Care

2022 NOV 09 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Researchers detail new data in Managed Care. According to news reporting from Iowa City, Iowa, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “The Dental Wellness Plan (DWP) provides dental coverage for adult Medicaid enrollees in Iowa. In September 2018, a $1000 annual benefit maximum (ABM) was implemented in the DWP program.”

Financial support for this research came from Iowa Department of Human Services.

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from the University of Iowa, “The aim of this study was to explore private dentists’ attitudes toward ABMs and factors associated with ABM attitudes. The data source was a mailed survey administered in spring 2019 to all private practice dentists in Iowa. The two dependent variables were (1) attitude toward the $1000 ABM and (2) attitude toward any ABM generally. Independent variables included demographic and practice-related factors, and participation in and attitudes toward the DWP. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable analyses were conducted. While over half (56%) of providers reported a positive attitude toward ‘Any ABM,’ less than half (40%) reported a positive attitude toward the ‘$1000 ABM.’ Attitudes toward both ‘$1000 ABM’ and ‘Any ABM’ were significantly and positively associated with attitudes toward DWP overall and toward DWP structure. Independent variables that were significantly associated with both the ‘$1000 ABM’ and ‘Any ABM’ included overall attitude toward the DWP, attitude toward DWP structure, and practice busyness. Utilizing an ABM, particularly one set at $1000 for a Medicaid program, elicits mixed attitudes among dentists.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Future research should evaluate the impact of Medicaid ABMs on long term dentist participation and patient’s ability to receive needed care.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Dentist Attitudes Toward an Annual Benefit Maximum In Iowa’s Adult Medicaid Program. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 2022. Journal of Public Health Dentistry can be contacted at: Wiley, 111 River St, Hoboken 07030-5774, NJ, USA. (Wiley-Blackwell - http://www.wiley.com/; Journal of Public Health Dentistry - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1752-7325)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Morgan Scholtes, University of Iowa, College of Dentistry, 801 Newton Rd, Iowa City, IA 52246, United States. Additional authors for this research include Carissa Comnick, Julie C. Reynolds, Aparna Ingleshwar, Susan C. McKernan and Peter C. Damiano.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1111/jphd.12543. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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