Michigan Aims to Increase Dental Utilization With Value-Based Payment Model

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services wanted to increase utilization of the state’s Healthy Kids Dental (HKD) program, which covers dental care for Medicaid enrollees under 21. The department partnered with Delta Dental of Michigan to implement a value-based payment (VBP) model to accomplish this goal. The VBP model rewards dental providers based on their ability to achieve quality and cost-saving benchmarks. Michigan counties Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb were chosen as test areas for the program due to high numbers of HKD plan members and low dental utilization rates. Over 1 year, utilization of dental services increased by 4.9%, 196,000 children received dental care, and $1.37 million in bonuses were paid to participating dental providers. Click here to read more.