Medicaid, the federal and state health insurance program for the poor, requires states to provide dental coverage for children but not adults. While dental care often is seen as routine, the poor often go without any care for years or even decades. In New Hampshire, the state is spending $33.4 million over 12 months to provide dental care to its 88,000 Medicaid recipients. Andy Beshear pressed ahead with emergency regulations ensuring that about 900,000 Kentuckians would continue having access to dental care after the Republican-led legislature rejected his proposal. A mother of five, she figured dental care would take away from spending on her children.

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Persons: Carlton Clemons, ”, Cindy, Victor Wu, don’t, Rhonda Switzer, ” Switzer, Nadasdi, Joe Schapiro, can’t, Andy Beshear, Heather Taylor, Richard M, “, Ryan O’Neill, ” O'Neill, Danielle Wilkes, Renee Pentecost, Wilkes, I’m, Jasmine Webb, Pentecost, “ I’m, Bruce Schreiner, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: Social Security, Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry, M University, for Disease Control, Interfaith Dental, CareQuest Institute, Oral Health, New Hampshire Democratic, Democratic, Republican, Rhode, American Dental Association . Illinois, Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Tennessee Family Dental, Medicaid, ”, Associated Press, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: Tenn, Nashville , Tennessee, Tennessee, Texas, United States, Nashville, Murfreesboro , Tennessee, Hawaii , Tennessee , Kentucky, Michigan, Maryland, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Virginia, Kansas, Texas , Alabama , Mississippi , Utah, Louisiana, New Jersey, American Dental Association . Illinois , New York , Ohio, Oregon, Alaska, North Dakota, Delaware, Ashland , Tennessee, Frankfort , Kentucky