Key Legislators Join Coalition to Restore Adult Dental Medicaid Program to State Budget
Key Legislators Join Coalition to Restore Adult Dental Medicaid Program to State Budget
Friday,
June 20, 2003 - 03:34 AM

TRENTON, New Jersey – Today, Assemblymen Louis Greenwald (district 6) and Jeff Van Drew (district 1), and Senators Tom Kean, Jr. (district 21) and Joe Vitale (district 19) pledged their support keep the adult dental Medicaid program in the state budget for 2004. The program currently covers more than 400,000 working poor, frail elderly and developmentally and mentally disabled persons. The recently composed bills from the assembly (A.3700) and from the senate (S.3000) each have the program fully restored.
"This was a hard-fought victory for the state's most vulnerable residents," said Greenwald. "The citizen groups and individuals who crusaded for restoration of the dental service funding are the real heroes and deserve commendation."

"Many people were at risk of suffering had it not been for the advocacy of these organizations," said Greenwald. "We in the Legislature heard the message loud and clear and it was a privilege and an honor to restore the funding for this vital program."

“The adult dental Medicaid program is a vital lifeline to more than 400,000 of New Jersey’s most vulnerable,” said Senator Kean. “Our budget for 2004 and beyond must include this program.”

“Obviously, dental health affects the general health and well being of every individual,” said Assemblyman Van Drew. “If a person suffers dental neglect, their entire health and well being will suffer as well and eventually society and our health system will also lose because of the problems these individuals will incur.”

“As I support Family Care, I support the adult dental Medicaid program,” says Senator Vitale. “There are many issues in the budget to debate, but this one is easy. We need to keep the program in tact. The alternative has a price too high to pay.”

Speaking at press conference at the State House today, Matheny School and Hospital president, Steven Proctor echoed the support for keeping the program, but from a different viewpoint; that of a dental clinic. His clinic, a collaboration with UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School, is located in Peapack, N.J. and is supported by Delta Dental Plan of New Jersey Foundation. They are experts in delivering dental care to persons with disabilities.

“The primary objective of the clinic is to provide ongoing preventative dental care to persons with disabilities,” said Proctor. “We opened our dental clinic because of the severe dental needs and concern for lack of dental services among persons with disabilities. We thank the legislators for supporting this very important mission.”

Also at the press conference was a Willingboro police officer, and daughter of a mother with Alzheimer’s disease. Donna Dimitri expressed her gratitude to the legislators for supporting the program.

“Without Medicaid I don’t know how my mother’s dental bills would get paid,” said Dimitri. “It’s good to know some people in Trenton feel the pain of the many people like my mother and me. It’s hard enough being a police officer, but I also have to be a caregiver to my mother. I’m glad someone in government is fighting for this important program,” she concluded.

SOURCE: New Jersey Dental Association

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