Understanding Dental Medicaid (2009)

Medicaid is administered by the states within federal guidelines which require that certain populations are covered for certain specified benefits. States have the flexibility to cover additional (“optional”) populations and to extend additional – “optional” -- benefits beyond the federal minimum requirements. 

The distinction between “mandatory” and “optional” populations and benefits in Medicaid is important to understand now, when the Administration is proposing a momentous Medicaid reform program that would change federal requirements.