California Dental Association (CDA) said it was "disappointed" that the 2015-2016 state budget proposal released by Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday does not address the statewide crisis in access to dental care.
The budget proposal does not address any of the critical issues highlighted by a recent state audit of the Denti-Cal program, which found that the program is failing to provide adequate access to timely care for millions of low-income children and uphold its obligation to ensure an adequate network of dental providers, according to the CDA. The audit points to low reimbursement rates as a primary reason for the substantial lack of providers able to participate in the program.
"We are disappointed that today's budget proposal does not make any attempt to address the access crisis that has resulted from Denti-Cal's failures," said CDA President Walt Weber, DDS, in a statement, also released on Friday. "The findings of the state audit make it very clear that the Denti-Cal program needs substantial improvements in order to provide timely access to care for patients. This includes ensuring an adequate provider network and requires reasonable reimbursement rates. We urge the administration and the legislature to act this year to develop a comprehensive fix."
