TESTIMONY IN OPPOSITION TO GOVERNOR RELL’S DEFICIT MITIGATION PLAN
(As delivered both in written and oral form to CT State Senate)
March 11, 2010
As an employee of a Medicaid-based dental practice in
These stories are not unique to our group. As you read this, thousands of providers across the state are pouring their heart and souls into a medical trade that inspires someone to not only feel better about themselves, but salvages their overall health. Studies show how a lack of proper oral healthcare is being linked to more and more diseases in today’s society. Birth defects, heart disease and blood poisoning are just a few of the sad realities of a lack of proper dental care. By cutting essential preventative measure, we are not only allowing these results, we are encouraging them.
You - as the chosen Representatives and Officials of our cities and counties – have the titanic onus of assessing the Governor’s Deficit Mitigation Plan. You - as parents, siblings and friends– also have the privilege to act as hero or heroin to the citizens of our communities by maintaining a healthcare structure enviable to many outside of our State lines. We all aim for a socially and fiscally balanced community of peers, bequest of opportunity. You all strive day in and day out to make this a reality. However, we must not follow a path of social dehumanization simply to balance the financials! Explicitly, this is exactly what the Governor has called for in the elimination of the non-emergency adult dental Medicaid program.
Beyond any vested interest in the dental state of affairs within
As a final note, let us recall that cutting a portion of the Dental Medicaid program, we are also eliminating the Federal matching funds that come in to our State. The result of this is just as disastrous as it may sound. These funds represent a sustainable relief to other cost-accruing functions of our economy. By eliminating the program, we fall penny wise and pound foolish.
I humbly thank you for your time and attention.
With sincere gratitude,
Justin T. Marti
Family Dental Management Team
UConn ’03 Alum
Proud Resident