New Hampshire legislators are looking to fund Medicaid dental coverage with money the state received from a settlement with Centene, according to the Concord Monitor.
The state settled with two of Centene's subsidiaries in January over their pharmacy benefit services, which New Hampshire anticipated resulted in $2.4 million in losses between 2016 and 2021.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Cindy Rosenwald, would allow Medicaid to cover dental benefits — including screenings, X-rays and dentures — and use the settlement funds to pay for its first several years.
The state legislature has fielded two bills seeking to expand Medicaid coverage since 2020, but both were ultimately blocked by funding concerns. One bill, which was vetoed by Gov. Chris Sununu in 2020, would have cost $11 million, but estimates for the new bill place annual costs around $7 million — meaning the Centene settlement would cover the expansion for three years.