Medicaid providers in Searsmont reported $10,150 billed for Dental Services in 2024, based on information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. This reflects a 24.6% rise compared with 2023, when claims for the category totaled $8,144.
Medicaid is a public health coverage option operated by states with joint funding from federal and state sources, as explained by the Commonwealth Fund. It provides insurance to low-income groups including families, older adults, children, and those with disabilities, making it a major component in the U.S. health care landscape.
As Medicaid payments are sourced from taxpayers, trends in local billing serve as indicators for how public health funding is distributed within communities.
The “Dental Services” designation covers a range of Medicaid-billed procedures grouped by care type, using standard HCPCS and CPT coding practices. In this analysis, service codes were allocated to one category by consistent code prefixes and numerical ranges, ensuring that related treatments are grouped for comparison and ranking, avoiding duplication.
Dental Services led all other categories for Medicaid spending in Searsmont in 2024.
Statewide, Dental Services ranked 13th in Maine based on Medicaid claims in 2024.
During the five years up to 2024, Medicaid payments for Dental Services in Searsmont totaled $10,150, with a net increase of 0%. Some periods saw accelerated growth, especially with marked annual increases in 2023 and 2022.
Citywide, spending for Dental Services was largely seen in a small number of ZIP codes. For 2024, ZIP code 04973 accounted for Medicaid payments of $10,149, making up 100% of the city’s Dental Services Medicaid total for the year.
Payments within Dental Services were also concentrated among a few billing codes.
Comparatively, Medicaid payments for Dental Services in Searsmont increased 24.6% from 2023 to 2024, aligning with a 24.6% rise observed across all Medicaid claims categories in Searsmont over the same period.
According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, combined federal and state Medicaid expenses reached about $871.7 billion during fiscal 2023, representing around 18% of national health care spending. This is a significant rise from an estimated $613.5 billion in 2019, before the COVID-19 emergency period.
This change indicates approximately 40% growth over several years, with increased enrollment and service use during and post-pandemic as major drivers.
Recent federal fiscal policies under the Trump administration introduced major proposals reducing federal Medicaid support and restructuring its design. For instance, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” passed in 2025, is set to reduce federal Medicaid spending by more than $1 trillion in the next 10 years, and implements policies such as work requirements and higher cost-sharing. These changes may reduce coverage and limit benefits, potentially shifting greater costs onto states as federal growth slows, even as Medicaid continues to cover tens of millions nationwide.
| Year | Total Medicaid Payments | % Change From Previous Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $2,251 | – |
| 2023 | $8,143 | 261.7% |
| 2024 | $10,149 | 24.6% |
| Rank | Category | Medicaid Payments | Share of City Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dental Services | $10,149 | 10<0.1% |
| HCPCS Code | Description | Medicaid Payments | Claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| D0190 | Screening of a patient | $9,573 | 12 |
| D0274 | Bitewings four images | $576 | 1 |
Note: HCPCS codes are shown for context within the category. Category totals and rankings in this article are based on standardized service groupings rather than individual billing codes.
Information in this article was obtained from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. The source data can be found here.
