Earn More Money & Still Be Eligible for Free Dental Care in 2017
The federal government's Department of Health & Human Services has released the 2017 Federal Poverty Guidelines. This update means that the income eligibility guidelines to become receive free dental care at HealthLink has also changed.
How are these guidelines determined? According to the HHS, they are "calculated by taking the 2015 Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds and adjusting them for price changes between 2015 and 2016 using the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)."
How have the guidelines changed since last year? The guidelines have increased, meaning that households can earn more money in 2017 and be considered under the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
What does this mean for HealthLink Dental Clinic's eligibility guidelines to become a patient receiving free dental care? Adults wishing to become a HealthLink patient can earn more money and still be eligible. HealthLink defines "low-income" as living in a household with an annual income at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
The maximum income limit depends on the number of people in the household. A single individual household can earn as much as $30,150 and be eligible to receive free dental care at HealthLink. A family of four could make as much as $61,500.
Other eligibility requirements that must be met include:
You must be 18 years of age or older.
You must live in Bucks or Montgomery County.
You or your spouse/domestic partner must be working (full-time, part-time, or seasonally).
Eligible patients can receive a full range of oral health services for free at the clinic's location on Street Road in Southampton. Available services include: cleanings, deep cleanings, x-rays, extractions, fillings, root canals, oral cancer screenings, and patient education.
For more information about becoming a HealthLink patient, visit www.healthlinkdental.org or call (215) 364-4247.
HealthLink Dental Clinic is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the overall health of qualified low-wage earning adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties by providing free preventative and restorative dental services and oral health education. HealthLink is located at 1775 Street Road in Southampton, Pennsylvania. More information is available online at www.healthlinkdental.org.
