What if you could reduce those sky-high health insurance costs through your much-cheaper dental plan? New research suggests you might be able to do just that.
It's logical if you ponder it. Your mouth contains about six billion bacteria of up to 400 species at any given time. And how many hundreds of times per day do you swallow?
Add to that research studies that show that chronic inflammation such as that involved with periodontal (gum) disease can lead to heart disease, particularly if diabetes is also present. Moreover, in one study pregnant women with periodontal disease were almost twice as likely to have an early delivery as women without periodontal disease or those who were properly treated. And a premature baby can cost $100,000.
What's missing in the discussion is the proven cause/effect relationship. Heart disease and periodontitis commonly occur in the same folks. So do periodontitis and premature delivery. But that's not the same as actual cause and effect.
As Dr. Miles Hall, chief clinical director for Cigna, a leading health and dental insurer, puts it, "I'll be very frank: The studies that are out there show a strong association. At this point, they do not necessarily show a causal relationship."
Part of the reason for the lack of causal relationship is the lack of random studies. What they've really done is to look at the fraction of people who have diabetes and periodontal disease and who also develop heart disease. But some people with diabetes may go to the dentist regularly and get their gums cleaned appropriately. Those same people may also be more rigorous about measuring and controlling their blood sugar and may thus contribute to understating the health risks from poor dental practices.
What Carriers Are Doing About It
Two major insurance carriers, Cigna and Aetna, (both of whom write both medical and dental plans) are identifying the insureds who are at risk for heart disease:
- those already identified,
- those with diabetes and
- those who are pregnant.
They reach out to the employees to try to get them to the dentist for an evaluation of their dental health. After reaching out by mail and email, they'll actually call them if they haven't seen their dentist within a prescribed time period.
Is it worth it? Well, look at these facts:
* Stroke victims who got periodontal treatment prior to their stroke spent $10,000 per year less than those who only got the treatment after their stroke.
* Diabetes patients who got appropriate care for periodontal disease saved the carrier $1,418 annually in medical costs.
* Avoiding a premature birth can save as much as $100,000.
What Employers Can Do About It
The challenge is that your dental and health carriers are probably two different insurers. It's much harder to coordinate between two carriers than it is when there's only one.
But it's not impossible. By setting up a properly structured Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) and well-communicated wellness program, you can start your own claims reduction program.
For example, here are some provisions to consider:
o If an employee has diabetes and also has periodontitis, he or she will be allowed to get one rot scaling and planing paid for by the HRA. The employer will reimburse any deductible or coinsurance incurred in the process.
o Furthermore, ongoing cleanings can be covered in full up to four times yearly (some dental carriers are already doing this for insureds with gum disease.)
o Likewise, employees diagnosed at risk for heart disease and pregnant women with periodontitis will also be eligible for no-cost periodontal treatment.
In structuring such a program it's crucial to coordinate via an outside administrator so as to avoid running afoul of HIPAA restrictions. It's a long-term payoff, but it could well be worth your company's effort.
