A CareQuest Institute poll shows that approximately 90% of Americans across the political spectrum support better oral health access for older adults, veterans, and people with disabilities, with 9 in 10 voters supporting dental coverage under Medicare regardless of party affiliation.
- Ninety percent of Americans support improved oral health access for older adults, veterans, and individuals with disabilities.
- Nine in 10 voters support adding dental coverage to Medicare, including 96% of Democrats, 86% of Republicans, and 92% of independents.
- Bipartisan support extends to veterans, with 96% of Democrats and 90% of Republicans backing improved VA dental coverage.
- Key finding: Voters believe workers have paid into Medicare throughout their careers and deserve dental benefits as part of the program.
Democrats and Republicans may be divided on a host of issues, but they both seem to support one -- dental coverage and making oral health a policy priority, according to a U.S. poll by the CareQuest Institute of Oral Health.
Additionally, approximately 90% of individuals in the U.S. support better oral health access for older adults, veterans, and those with disabilities, according to a CareQuest press release dated October 14.
“These findings demonstrate that Americans across the political spectrum recognize oral health as an important health care issue,” Wade Rakes, CareQuest's CEO, said in the press release. “Voters want dental care to be more accessible and affordable, especially for people that face significant barriers. This sends a powerful message that oral health should be part of the national dialogue around health care access and affordability.”
To see where voters stand on oral health policies, CareQuest Institute partnered with Marketing for Change using a mixed methods approach to conduct the research. It included focus groups and an online discussion board with 50 persuadable voters in competitive congressional districts, along with an online survey of 1,027 individuals, according to CareQuest.
Of the respondents, 9 in 10 supported dental coverage under Medicare. Of those in support of the measure, 96% were Democrats, 86% were Republicans, and 92% were independents. Voters reported that they strongly believe workers have paid into Medicare throughout their adult lives; therefore, it’s fair that the program covers dental services.
Also, respondents supported improving access to oral healthcare for veterans. The results revealed that 96% of Democrats and 90% of Republicans support improving dental coverage through the U.S. Veterans Administration (VA), according to the press release.
Furthermore, voters reported that they would have more healthcare options if improvements were made to Medicare, Medicaid, and VA dental coverage. Finally, they recognized it was vital to prevent dental problems before they become more serious and expensive.
