Costly smiles
In these days of intense debate regarding the Senate’s healthcare bill to replace the Affordable Care Act, I’d like to bring attention to probably one of the biggest health needs for millions of Americans, particularly for the elderly and low-income individuals: dental insurance.
Dental care typically is not covered, even by Medicare. This fact, together with the exorbitant and unchecked charges by dentists and dental offices, translates into millions of people neglecting their dental health.
Which government agency is responsible for supervising and controlling dental care charges?
Perhaps, it’s time to consider a “Universal Dental Insurance Act” to provide affordable dental-care coverage for all.
Juan Pablo Aleman, Miami
This story was originally published June 28, 2017 at 12:30 AM with the headline "Costly smiles."