Howard?s plan to offer health care access to county residents who are uninsured will include discounted dental care, officials announced Monday.
Health care provider Aetna Inc. has agreed to provide dental care to the 2,000 participants in the first year of the Healthy Howard health access program.
“We?re helping [residents] overcome barriers to healthy living,” Dr. Peter Beilenson, Howard?s health officer, said at a news conference at the county?s Ellicott City dental clinic.
Participants would pay $1.65 for individuals and $3.30 for families. This is in addition to the $50 to $85 monthly fee for care, which will launch later this year and include doctor visits, reduced prescription drug prices and specialty services.
They would receive dental services from professionals in the Aetna network at a 35 percent to 40 percent discount, said Mike Bucci, Aetna?s market vice president.
For example, a basic cleaning, which costs about $80 in Howard, would cost about $50, he said.
Proper dental care has been linked to better overall health, Beilenson said.
Dental coverage was a difficult area to cover under the Healthy Howard plan, and county officials are always looking for partnerships with companies to provide care, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman said.
“We can drive down our costs and get people healthier if we invest in wellness and prevention,” Ulman said, adding dental coverage should be a part of any health plan.
Aetna also donated $56,000 to the plan, and Howard officials plan to announce major donors Friday. Most plan costs will becovered by participant fees, the rest from donations and a proposed $500,000 in county funds.
