Many Kentucky dentists are speaking out against Republican Gov. Matt Bevin's decision to cut dental and vision benefits for 460,000 Medicaid enrollees, according the Courier-Journal.
Mr. Bevin announced the beneficiaries would lose coverage as a result of a court's ruling to block his proposed Medicaid overhaul, which included work requirements for "able-bodied" adult beneficiaries.
"The governor's actions are vindictive," Anne Marie Regan, senior counsel with the Kentucky Equal Justice Center, told the Courier-Journal. "He's just lashing out."
Local dentists have had to turn away children with Medicaid coverage since the ruling, which Denver Tackett, DMD, called "cruel and mean."
"I'm so tore up, I don't have the words to describe it," Dr. Tackett told the Courier-Journal.
Dr. Tackett said there has been some confusion within the state's Medicaid system, and that he has treated families with children covered by Medicaid who have had some siblings dropped from coverage while others have remained. Bill Collins, DMD, said he has referred confused patients back to the governor's office.
"I'm telling the patients, if they've got a problem, I'm giving them the governor's number," Dr. Collins told the Courier-Journal. "They can call him. Let him get the calls I'm getting."