5/01/06
The American Dental Association (ADA) joins thousands of individuals and organizations across the country in observing “Cover the Uninsured Week,” a national call to help the millions of Americans who lack adequate access to health care.
“Association health plans currently under consideration in Congress could help millions of working Americans who currently lack health coverage by making insurance benefits affordable for small employers,” says ADA President Robert M. Brandjord, DDS. “As the number of uninsured Americans increases, the need to address the problem becomes more critical. We are proud to be a ‘Cover the Uninsured Week’ national supporter, and we encourage our members to get involved in activities taking place in their communities.”
According to Brandjord, the need for better dental access is particularly acute among children—for every child without health coverage, 2.6 children lack dental coverage. He adds that the ADA has advocated programs, like Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) that provide comprehensive preventive and restorative dental services to eligible people to help alleviate disparities. In addition, the ADA supports market-based solutions with the use of health savings and flexible-spending accounts through tax and other incentives.
For more information about “Cover the Uninsured Week,” visit www.covertheuninsured.org.
