As expected, this week has been filled with health reform activity.  As we have noted in past updates there are currently three bills that define the health care reform debate. 

Two of these bills are from the Senate Health Education Labor and Pension (HELP), and the Finance Committees.  The third is from the House Tri-Committee bill (the Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Labor Committees). 
 
The Senate HELP Committee passed their bill Wednesday on a party line vote of 13-10.  You can find a synopsis of the dental provisions that were included in the HELP bill on CDHP's website.  Today, we are anxiously awaiting the release of the Senate Finance Committee bill.  It remains unclear what dental provisions will be included in the Senate Finance bill, but of primary interest are the benefits outlined in that bill.    
 
In the House, the Tri-Committee released their bill on Wednesday with the inclusion of numerous dental provisions that were outlined in an alert earlier this week.  To learn more about those provisions, follow this link to CDHP's brief on the bill.  The House Ways and Means, and the Education and Labor Committees reported out the bill this morning and the Energy and Commerce Committee is scheduled to do so next week. CDHP is grateful to the House Committees for their attention to oral health, especially for their inclusion of dental benefits for children and some adults and for their significant attention to dental training programs.  Although we are excited to see this emphasis on oral health, CDHP has already sent a letter asking for additional consideration of three primary issues.  The first issue is to ensure that children currently in CHIP do not lose their dental coverage when CHIP expires in 2013.  The second issue is to provide dental coverage for pregnant women.  And the third issue is related to the inclusion of an expert in oral health in the Health Benefits Advisory Committee.  A copy of our letter to the Committees can be found here on our website. 
 
We are happy to announce that longtime oral health champion Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) has expressed her interest in specifically addressing our concern about oral health expertise on the Health Benefits Advisory Committee.  Representative DeGette has committed to offering an amendment during the Energy and Commerce Committee mark up to include oral health expertise on the Advisory Committee.  Please let us know if your organization is interested in showing Congresswoman DeGette your support for the amendment by signing onto a letter of support by Monday.
 
Although we remain optimistic about the inclusion of some oral health provisions in all the bills, there is still much work yet to be done.  After all the bills are passed out of their committees they will be considered on the floor of the House and Senate.  If oral health remains after they are passed through each chamber the wrangling begins to negotiate those two bills into one.  Oral health, like most issues, will be up for grabs at any point in this process.  Keep the debate alive by making it known that oral health is essential to overall health! 
 
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Meg Booth or Danielle Grote Erbele.