Kaiser Announces New, Free Dental Benefits For Seniors

Image Courtesy of Kaiser Permanente.

Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i and Hawai‘i Dental Service (HDS) have entered into an agreement to provide preventive dental benefits as part of the base benefit in certain Kaiser Permanente Medicare Senior Advantage Plans (HMO).

This addition comes at no extra cost to the members and will be effective Jan. 1, 2021.

“Access to preventive dental care is important to ensure good oral health,” said Mark Yamakawa, president and CEO of HDS. “This is especially true for our kupuna to help them maintain better quality of life by minimizing oral health issues that arise due to medications, dry mouth, and other health conditions.”

Comprehensive dental benefits coverage is available as part of an optional supplemental benefits package, at an additional monthly cost.

“Dental health is key to a person’s overall health. Healthy teeth and gums allow people to eat better and feel better,” said Sheila Mackertich, senior director of Government Programs at Kaiser Permanente Hawaii. “Regular oral exams help prevent dental problems and may also help with early detection of other medical issues.”