LIBERTY Dental Plan of Nevada has provided dental services to 1,100 patients at minimal to no cost over the past year as the state administrator for the federal Health Resources & Services Administration Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.
The national program provides services and offers grant funding to states, cities, and community-based organizations to provide care and treatment services to more than half the people in the country who have been diagnosed with HIV to improve health and reduce transmission among hard-to-reach populations.
“When we were awarded this contract, there were only three Nevadans in the program, and, over the past year, membership has grown and we have provided dental services to 1,100 Nevadans living with HIV/AIDS,” said Amy Tongsiri, DMD, dental director for Nevada for LIBERTY Dental Plan.
“Through this contract, we are able to ensure that all Nevada Ryan White members receive high quality of care through our vast network of providers. Additionally, we will continue to support the program’s membership to benefit all Nevadans living with HIV/AIDS,” Tongsiri said.
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is the largest federally funded care and treatment service program for individuals who are living with HIV/AIDS. It assists individuals who are uninsured or underinsured in obtaining HIV medication and primary medical and supportive care.
As the dental benefits administrator, LIBERTY ensures members receive access to quality care throughout the state and that those in the program can maintain their oral health without facing a financial burden. To achieve this, LIBERTY said, it works with and educates a network of dentists to deliver preventive and emergent care for all Ryan White members.
Serving Nevada communities for more than 10 years, LIBERTY also became the state’s first Medicaid Dental Program administrator for oral healthcare in late 2017, providing dental services to the state’s most vulnerable residents. Currently, LIBERTY serves more than 600,000 Medicaid and commercial Silver State members.
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