The Senate Finance Committee this week slowly worked its way through debate over amendments that were offered to Chairman Baucus' proposal for health reform.  The panel is finalizing the last of three legislative vehicles that will eventually be combined into a single package to be sent to the President for his signature.  As previously reported, all three versions of the legislation include a pediatric dental benefit.  If the Senate Leadership is unable to shore up the 60 votes necessary to reject a filibuster and pass legislation by October 15th, they will circumvent the traditional legislative process and use a process called budget reconciliation to enact health reform.  Under budget reconciliation, there are significant limitations on the policies that can be included and thus, any legislation passed under this process will be far narrower in scope.

 

The House of Representatives is one step closer to Floor action, with the final panel of jurisdiction, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, putting finishing touches on its health reform package this week.  In a major victory for oral health, Chairman Waxman accepted an amendment to add an oral health expert to any health benefits advisory committee.  This amendment ensures that when the details of a comprehensive health benefit are crafted, oral health will have a seat at the table.  Originally offered by Representatives Diana DeGette of Colorado, John Sarbanes of Maryland and Jerry McNerney ofCalifornia, the amendment was one of seven out of more than 50 offered that the Chairman accepted to be part of his "mark."  It enjoyed broad support from 18 groups in the dental and children's advocacy communities.

 

In addition, Representative G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina addressed a key oral health topic that has thus far gained little headway in Congress by offering an amendment in the Energy and Commerce Committee to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit a report to Congress on the need and cost of providing accessible and affordable oral health care to adults as part of the essential benefits package.  This amendment could set the stage for an adult benefit to be added in the future.  It passed the Committee "en bloc" and will now be sent to the Rules Committee, which will determine whether it is included in the underlying bill.