Effect of Medicaid reimbursement rates on children's access to dental care.

M edicaid (Title XIX of the Social Security Act) was designed to provide medical and dental care for children in low socioeconomic groups. Access to dental care for children covered by Medicaid, however, has not been entirely successful due to lack of participation by dental providers. 1, 2 Low reimbursement rates have been reported by providers to be a major factor in Medicaid nonparticipation?, 3, 4 A survey (December 1992) among Connecticut dentists reported limited Medicaid participation among those treating children, with almost all the dentists scoring Medicaid fees as unacceptable. 5 A year later (January 1994), Medicaid fees in Connecticut were increased to 80% of usual and customary and reasonable rate. This follow-up survey was conducted 1 year after the fee increase (December 1994) to determine changes in access dental care for Medicaid-eligible children in private offices in Connecticut.