WFAA
Posted on August 18, 2011 at 10:00 PM
Updated today at 3:16 PM
DALLAS - Many parents know it can cost as much as $5,000 to put braces on a child's teeth. Despite the high cost, it's a financial sacrifice some families make for a child's appearance.
Rarely are braces a health issue. But, while some families struggle to pay for braces, under Medicaid in Texas, tens of thousands of children get braces for free.
Last year, Texas spent $184 million on braces under Medicaid. And while Texas spent as much as the rest of the nation combined, some states, like Michigan and Kansas, spent zero.