CMA Advocacy: Oral Health is Critical to Overall Health
The Center for Medicare Advocacy supports coverage of oral health in Medicare. As an advocacy organization, CMA receives calls and emails from Medicare beneficiaries across the country. For decades now, the very limited coverage for dental services has been one of the pressing problems that we most frequently hear about. The individuals who contact us experience high risks to their health and health care treatment, as well as very compromised quality of life because they cannot readily afford this dental care.
Here we highlight recent articles, research and advocacy developments key to our work to advance oral health coverage in Medicare.
LA Times Highlights Gaps in Dental Care for Older Adults – March 5, 2026
A recent piece in the Los Angeles Times highlighted the gaps in dental care in Medicare, as well as the devastating impacts of cuts to Medicaid on dental care, and the harms these cause for older adults. The author chronicled older adults seeking dental care in Mexico due to the limited coverage in Medicare, including in Medicare Advantage, for oral health, and the high out-of-pocket costs beneficiaries face for dental visits. Most individuals forgo care due to the high costs—this jeopardizes their health, quality of life, ability to work, and eat healthy food.
Previous Oral Health CMA Alerts:
- Millions of Beneficiaries Could Benefit from Dental Payment Clarifications – Center for Medicare Advocacy
- Legislation Introduced to Expand Oral Health Coverage – Center for Medicare Advocacy
- Medicare Will Not Expand on Dental Payment Examples in 2026 – Center for Medicare Advocacy
- Oral Health Consortium Supports CMS Clarification on Oral Health Coverage – Center for Medicare Advocacy
- CMS Final Rule Includes Important Oral Health Clarification – Center for Medicare Advocacy
- CMA Attorney Co-Authors Article on Medicare Dental Coverage – Center for Medicare Advocacy
- New Research Confirms Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries Do Not Experience Greater Access to Dental, Vision, or Hearing Care – Center for Medicare Advocacy