I'm not complaining that I'm able to get healthcare and basic dental through the Oregon health plan, I am grateful for this. But I have noticed that other states who also used Medicaid, which is what OHP is, provide oral health with Medicaid.
In other states, if you have Medicaid, you can get braces covered and oral surgery to realign your jaw if it affects your bite. But in Oregon, OHP does not cover this.
I find it saddening that OHP won't consider this as a necessity while other states actually realize it is a necessity.
If your teeth are misaligned and your jaw is too, this affects ability to chew and swallow, affects speach and ultimately affects the rest of your physical health.
Maybe I'm biased since I happen to have a significantly misaligned jaw and grounded down teeth so much my bite never meets. I have difficulty eating and swallowing food. But I can also say that my appearance is also affected by my jaws position. Im often treated as if I am stupid or that there's something wrong with me. I have difficulty gaining employment and my speach is affected.
OHP does not consider difficulty chewing and speaking as a good enough reason to fix it.
Out of pocket, to fix my problem, it would cost upwards 50k. 50k I dont have and likely never will have.