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County will get dental clinic

By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
Portage County will have a new dental clinic for low-income and elderly residents.

U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau, announced Wednesday, July 18, that federal funds to open the clinic have arrived.

Obey said he has secured a $436,500 grant in this year's federal budget to open the clinic, which will be operated by St. Michael's Hospital and jointly administered with CAP Services and Delta Dental. The Office of Rural Health Policy within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officially made the funds available this month, he said.

The clinic is designed to serve low-income and elderly residents who rely on Medicaid, BadgerCare or Medicare to meet their medical needs.

Because reimbursements are low and paperwork loads high, many dentists don't want to deal with the programs, leaving a void in care for the low-income and elderly. Local dentists are supportive of the clinic.

The clinic will officially be known as "Ministry Dental Center, A Health Partnership of CAP Services, Delta Dental and St. Michael's Hospital" and will be located in the former Medical Arts Plaza on East Maria Drive in Stevens Point. Officials plan to open the clinic on Jan. 1, 2002.

Obey said the project is a good public-private partnership. CAP Services has committed $10,000 for the dental clinic's first-year operating costs, while St. Michael's has committed $61,500 and Delta Dental has committed $60,000. The clinic will cost about $435,000 a year to operate. Start-up and equipment commitments include $50,000 from Delta Dental and $150,000 from St. Michael's.

The local clinic will save area residents some travel time.

CAP Services has been offering low-income individuals and families access to affordable dental care in Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, and Marquette counties through a collaborative effort with the Family Health Medical and Dental Clinic in Wautoma and the public health departments in the four counties.

Each Friday preventive and primary care services including oral examinations and assessments, follow-up treatment and emergency care are available by appointment.

CAP Head Start busses take those with appointments to the clinic from Head Start Centers in the four counties on a rotating basis. Portage County residents go on the first and third Friday of each month.

With the new clinic, services would be provided to anyone who qualifies for Medicaid or BadgerCare. Patients will make any payments required by the BadgerCare/Medicaid programs, such as a co-payment or payment for services not covered by BadgerCare/Medicaid. Some BadgerCare families pay a small premium for the BadgerCare coverage.

Medicaid is a federal-state program that helps pay for health care for needy people. BadgerCare is a state program that provides coverage to low-income people who don't qualify for Medicaid. Much of its funding comes from federal sources.

In all, up to 10,000 Portage County residents alone could be eligible at the new clinic. It will also serve eligible people from other counties.

St. Michael's will handle Medicaid and BadgerCare paperwork and will also operate the program, including employing project staff.

"When I am home in Wisconsin, one of the No. 1 problems people tell me they have is getting access to dental care," said Obey. "There are 45 million people in this country who don't have health insurance and 108 million who don't have dental insurance. Not only is dental care hard to find, it is also very expensive, which means that many individuals are not getting the preventative treatment they need. As a result, they end up in emergency rooms with costly oral health problems."

Obey said, "There are over 4,000 people in Portage County who are enrolled in Medicaid, Medicare and BadgerCare but only 26 percent are getting regular dental care." He said the clinic will make it possible for those who can't afford to travel long distances or who are unable to make the trip due to health problems to get needed dental care.



	County will get dental clinic By GENE KEMMETER of The Gazette Portage County will have a new dental clinic for low-income and elderly residents. U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau, announced Wednesday, July 18, that federal funds to open the clinic have arrived. Obey said he has secured a $436,500 grant in this year's federal budget to open the clinic, which will be operated by St. Michael's Hospital and jointly administered with CAP Services and Delta Dental. The Office of Rural Health Policy within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officially made the funds available this month, he said. The clinic is designed to serve low-income and elderly residents who rely on Medicaid, BadgerCare or Medicare to meet their medical needs. Because reimbursements are low and paperwork loads high, many dentists don't want to deal with the programs, leaving a void in care for the low-income and elderly. Local dentists are supportive of the clinic. The clinic will officially be known as "Ministry Dental Center, A Health Partnership of CAP Services, Delta Dental and St. Michael's Hospital" and will be located in the former Medical Arts Plaza on East Maria Drive in Stevens Point. Officials plan to open the clinic on Jan. 1, 2002. Obey said the project is a good public-private partnership. CAP Services has committed $10,000 for the dental clinic's first-year operating costs, while St. Michael's has committed $61,500 and Delta Dental has committed $60,000. The clinic will cost about $435,000 a year to operate. Start-up and equipment commitments include $50,000 from Delta Dental and $150,000 from St. Michael's. The local clinic will save area residents some travel time. CAP Services has been offering low-income individuals and families access to affordable dental care in Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, and Marquette counties through a collaborative effort with the Family Health Medical and Dental Clinic in Wautoma and the public health departments in the four counties. Each Friday preventive and primary care services including oral examinations and assessments, follow-up treatment and emergency care are available by appointment. CAP Head Start busses take those with appointments to the clinic from Head Start Centers in the four counties on a rotating basis. Portage County residents go on the first and third Friday of each month. With the new clinic, services would be provided to anyone who qualifies for Medicaid or BadgerCare. Patients will make any payments required by the BadgerCare/Medicaid programs, such as a co-payment or payment for services not covered by BadgerCare/Medicaid. Some BadgerCare families pay a small premium for the BadgerCare coverage. Medicaid is a federal-state program that helps pay for health care for needy people. BadgerCare is a state program that provides coverage to low-income people who don't qualify for Medicaid. Much of its funding comes from federal sources. In all, up to 10,000 Portage County residents alone could be eligible at the new clinic. It will also serve eligible people from other counties. St. Michael's will handle Medicaid and BadgerCare paperwork and will also operate the program, including employing project staff. "When I am home in Wisconsin, one of the No. 1 problems people tell me they have is getting access to dental care," said Obey. "There are 45 million people in this country who don't have health insurance and 108 million who don't have dental insurance. Not only is dental care hard to find, it is also very expensive, which means that many individuals are not getting the preventative treatment they need. As a result, they end up in emergency rooms with costly oral health problems." Obey said, "There are over 4,000 people in Portage County who are enrolled in Medicaid, Medicare and BadgerCare but only 26 percent are getting regular dental care." He said the clinic will make it possible for those who can't afford to travel long distances or who are unable to make the trip due to health problems to get needed dental care.