Recent dental research shows that bacteria around the gum

Question

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 stongly 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) Pregnant women typically crave sugary foods, which are proven to contribute to tooth decay. 
(C) The risk of developing heart disease is greater for individuals with a family history of heart disease than for those with no such history. 
(D) Individuals are generally less likely to postpone or forego inexpensive or free dental procedures than expensive ones. 
(E) The dental health of pregnant women and heart-disease patients, as a group, are similar to those of the general population.

piyatiwari · Answer

Insurer's payouts to medical-service providers will decrease if people don't take advantage of the free dental cleaning.

D says this.

semwal · Answer

PREMISE 1.- Recent dental research shows that bacteria around the gum line can induce preterm labor in pregnant women and can cause heart disease by clogging arteries. 
PREMISE 2.- Both medical outcomes add to payouts by health insurers to medical-service providers. 
PREMISE 3. - The bacteria is best removed by a dentist or trained hygienist during a routine cleaning.

CONCLUSION.- 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.

(A) Dental-hygiene regimens such as brushing or flossing can slow the accumulation of the bacteria-produced substance.  BUT WILL THE PAYOUTS REDUCE... DOES'NT ANSWER..... INCORRECT

(B) Pregnant women typically crave sugary foods, which are proven to contribute to tooth decay.... IRRELEVANT..WILL THE PAYOUTS REDUCE... DOES'NT ANSWER..... INCORRECT   
(C) The risk of developing heart disease is greater for individuals with a family history of heart disease than for those with no such history ..WILL THE PAYOUTS REDUCE... DOES'NT ANSWER..... INCORRECT . . 
(D) Individuals are generally less likely to postpone or forego inexpensive or free dental procedures than expensive ones. ...CORRECT ANSWER....WILL ALSO REDUCE PAYOUTS AS MORE PEOPLE GO FOR FREE DENTAL PROCEDURES  
(E) The dental health of pregnant women and heart-disease patients, as a group, are similar to those of the general population. ..IRRELEVANT..WILL THE PAYOUTS REDUCE... DOES'NT ANSWER..... INCORRECT

b2bt · Answer

Your answer is correct but I guess your reasoning is incorrect (or am I misunderstanding what you are saying?)
D says people are  less likely  to miss the inexpensive dental cleaning which means people  will  take an advantage of it

hsbinfy · Answer

conclusion says the payouts will be reduced by health insurers....to strengthen it only D suffices. i.e. individuals wont postpone inexonsve or free dental checkups....which will incase reduce the payouts.

-h

-h

mejia401 · Answer

Which of the following, if true, most stongly 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) Pregnant women typically crave sugary foods, which are proven to contribute to tooth decay.
(C) The risk of developing heart disease is greater for individuals with a family history of heart disease than for those with no such history.
(D) Individuals are generally less likely to postpone or forego inexpensive or free dental procedures than expensive ones.
(E) The dental health of pregnant women and heart-disease patients, as a group, are similar to those of the general population.[/quote]

err, if D didn't exist, B would be the next best answer IMO. Just food for thought. :roll:

b2bt · Answer

I do not agree. Argument doesn't even talk about tooth decay. The argument just says there is a bacteria which produces a substance and which in turn can cause preterm labor (or heart disease). Please rectify me, if I wrong.

nks2611 · Answer

the answer is D

the is barely a situation when people do miss a free check up that leads to resistance against bacteria so there will be less cases or may be no case of such diseases, which indirectly takes to low payout .

hence D

AgarwalArpit20 · Answer

The clear intent of the reimbursement policy is to prompt pregnant women and people at risk of heart disease to schedule more-frequent professional dental cleanings — a procedure that may help prevent preterm labor or heart disease. But the policy will carry its intended result only if those subcribers act accordingly. Of the five choices, (B) provides the clearest evidence that they will do so. The correct response is (B).

napolean92728 · Answer

The correct answer is:
 D. Individuals are generally less likely to postpone or forego free dental procedures than paid ones. 
✅ Explanation of the Correct Answer:
The insurer wants to  reduce payouts for costly medical outcomes (preterm labor and heart disease)  by  offering free professional dental cleanings , which can  remove harmful bacteria  that contribute to these problems. For this to work,  people must take advantage of the free dental cleaning . This choice supports the argument by showing that  making dental cleaning free will likely increase uptake , thereby  removing the bacteria  and ultimately  lowering the risk of medical complications  (and the insurer’s costs).

Causal chain for better understanding:
Only the correct answer directly supports the  causal chain :

❌ Eliminating the Wrong Options:
 A. Dental-hygiene regimens, such as brushing or flossing, can slow the accumulation of the bacteria-produced substance. 
 
 This weakens the insurer’s reasoning. If  home care is already effective , then  professional cleaning may not be necessary , reducing the benefit of reimbursement.  
 B. Pregnant women typically crave sugary foods, which are proven to contribute to tooth decay. 
 
 While this suggests pregnant women may have  worse dental health , it  doesn’t support the idea  that reimbursing dental cleaning will  reduce insurer payouts . It’s background information, not direct support.  
 C. The risk of developing heart disease is greater for individuals with a family history of heart disease than for those with no such history. 
 
 This is a general statement about  risk factors , not about the  effectiveness of reimbursing dental cleanings  in reducing costs.  
 E. The dental health of pregnant women and heart-disease patients, as a group, is similar to that of the general population. 
 
 This implies that  targeting these groups may not yield much extra benefit , and thus could even  weaken  the insurer’s case.

Recent dental research shows that bacteria around the gum

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Recent dental research shows that bacteria around the gum

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