V07-33

Official Solution:


Recent dental research shows that bacteria around the gum line produces a substance that in sufficient amounts can induce preterm labor in pregnant women and can cause heart disease by clogging arteries. Both medical outcomes add to payouts by health insurers to medical-service providers. The bacteria is best removed by a dentist or trained hygienist during a routine cleaning. One health insurer has calculated that it can reduce its payouts by reimbursing subscribers who are either pregnant or at high risk of developing heart disease for the cost of one professional dental cleaning per year.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the assertion that the insurer's payouts to medical-service providers will decrease if it implements the reimbursement plan described above?


A. Dental-hygiene regimens such as brushing or flossing can slow the accumulation of the bacteria-produced substance.
B. Individuals are generally less likely to postpone or forego free dental procedures than paid ones.
C. Pregnant women typically crave sugary foods, which are proven to contribute to tooth decay.
D. The risk of developing heart disease is greater for individuals with a family history of heart disease than for those with no such history.
E. The dental health of pregnant women and heart-disease patients, as a group, is similar to that of the general population.

General Approach
The main task in solving these types of GMAT Critical Reasoning questions is to look for the answer choice that strengthens the assertion mentioned in the argument. In this case, the objective is to find supporting evidence that the decision of the health insurer to reimburse subscribers for annual professional dental cleaning will result in decreased payouts to medical-service providers. The general approach is to look for a piece of information suggesting that the reimbursement plan will indeed stimulate the subscribers to go for a dental cleaning, thus reducing the accumulation of the harmful bacteria and subsequently the likelihood of preterm labor or heart disease, which would reduce the insurer's payouts.
Correct Answer
The correct answer is B, Individuals are generally less likely to postpone or forego free dental procedures than paid ones. This option directly supports the insurer's plan. If people are more inclined to take advantage of treatments that are reimbursed (and are therefore seen as free) than the ones they have to pay for, it means that the insurer's payout for dental procedures will likely lead to more subscribers seeking professional dental cleaning. Consequently, the amount of harmful bacteria will decrease, which then reduces medical-service providers' payouts for dealing with preterm labor or heart disease.
Incorrect Answers
Answer choice A, Dental-hygiene regimens such as brushing or flossing can slow the accumulation of the bacteria-produced substance, is incorrect because it does not directly tie to the insurer's reimbursement plan. Even though at-home dental hygiene practices can reduce bacterial accumulation, it doesn't indicate whether the insurer's plan for reimbursed cleanings will be acted upon by the subscribers.

Answer choice C, Pregnant women typically crave sugary foods, which are proven to contribute to tooth decay, is incorrect as it does not strengthen the assertion that the insurer's reimbursement plan will be effective. The information, if anything, introduces a potential obstacle to dental health but does not pertain to the success or failure of the reimbursement plan.

Answer choice D, The risk of developing heart disease is greater for individuals with a family history of heart disease than for those with no such history, is incorrect because it does not correlate with the insurer's plan. This statement doesn’t indicate that the insurer’s plan will result in more individuals obtaining professional cleanings.

Answer choice E, The dental health of pregnant women and heart-disease patients, as a group, is similar to that of the general population, is incorrect because it does not contribute to the argument that the insurer's reimbursement plan will reduce its payouts. Dental health being similar to the general population doesn't make a case for the intended effectiveness of the reimbursed cleanings on the reduction of insurer's payouts.


Answer: B