title: Reimbursement rates and policies for primary molar pit-and-fissure sealants across state Medicaid programs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about Medicaid policies regarding reimbursement for placement of sealants on primary molars. The authors identified Medicaid programs that reimbursed dentists for placing primary molar sealants and hypothesized that these programs had higher reimbursement rates than did state programs that did not reimburse for primary molar sealants.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors obtained Medicaid reimbursement data from online fee schedules and determined whether each state Medicaid program reimbursed for primary molar sealants (no or yes). The outcome measure was the reimbursement rate for permanent tooth sealants (calculated in 2012 U.S. dollars). The authors compared mean reimbursement rates by using the t test (α = .05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen Medicaid programs reimbursed dentists for placing primary molar sealants (34 percent), and the mean reimbursement rate was $27.57 (range, $16.00 [Maine] to $49.68 [Alaska]). All 50 programs reimbursed dentists for placement of sealants on permanent teeth. The mean reimbursement for permanent tooth sealants was significantly higher in programs that reimbursed for primary molar sealants than in programs that did not ($28.51 and $23.67, respectively; P = .03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most state Medicaid programs do not reimburse dentists for placing sealants on primary molars, but programs that do so have significantly higher reimbursement rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medicaid reimbursement rates are related to dentists' participation in Medicaid and children's dental care use. Reimbursement for placement of sealants on primary molars is a proxy for Medicaid program generosity.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Chi is an assistant professor, Department of Oral Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Washington, Box 357475, Seattle, Wash. 98195, dchi@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Donald L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008484:Medicaid / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D008963:Molar; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013219:State Government; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants
keywords: Medicaid; pit-and-fissure sealants; primary molars; reimbursement rates