CDHP Health Reform Dental Check-up

President Obama Expected to Post New Health Bill by Monday; States' Consideration of Medicaid Cuts Threatens Already Weak Dental Coverage
The Latest Updates on Oral Health From Capitol Hill
 February 19, 2010
In This Issue
President Obama Expected to Post new Health Bill by Monday
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States' Consideration of Medicaid Cuts Threatens Already Weak Dental Coverage
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Contact Health Summit Invitees about Oral Health Issues
Welcome to CDHP's Health Reform Dental Check-up!  We are excited to provide a regular update on what is happening on Capitol Hill related to oral health within the health reform debate.  We look forward to providing you with the information we hear and to hearing from you.  
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Founded in 1997, the Children's Dental Health Project is a national non-profit organization with the vision of achieving equity in children's oral health.  Children's Dental Health Project (CDHP) designs and advances research-driven policies and innovative solutions by engaging a broad base of partners committed to children and oral health, including professionals, communities, policymakers and parents.  We work to eliminate barriers to preventing tooth decay to ensure that all children reach their full potential.
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President Obama Expected to Post New Health Bill by Monday.
  

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As Congress returns to DC next week after the President's Day recess, Senior White House officials are hinting that President Obama will release his own health care bill by Monday, shortly before his scheduled health care summit scheduled for February 25th.
 
Conflicting information in the media reports that the new White House proposal was an attempt to combine the House and Senate bills that passed last year, however Democratic Congressional leadership has reported that the White House drafted the proposal without their input.  There is speculation that President Obama has drafted this proposal as a back-up plan to pass a health reform bill if next week's summit does not provide Republican support.

States' Consideration of Medicaid Cuts Threatens Dental Coverage
  

The renewed focus on health reform is timely as more states are considering cuts to their Medicaid programs.  While states that accepted funding from the stimulus package (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) agreed not to eliminate or scale back Medicaid coverage, the recession has led to significant increases in Medicaid enrollment and is forcing states to eliminate optional benefits such as adult dental and vision coverage.  Dental cuts were evidenced last year in states such as California and Utah who eliminated adult dental benefits.

Contact Health Summit Invitees about Child and Adult Oral Health Issues
 

The list of lawmakers invited to next week's White House health care summit is now available online (click here).  Please contact your representatives if they are attending and encourage them to preserve the oral health provisions in both the House and Senate health care bills passed last year.  While both the House and Senate bills guarantee dental coverage for children under the Health Benefits exchange, the House bill also requires that oral health experts be included in the board that oversees the Health Benefits exchange.  Provisions such as this are a step forward in integrating oral health and overall health concerns.
 
For more information on how to discuss the House and Senate health care bills with your lawmakers, refer to our House Health Reform Toolbox and Senate Health Reform Toolbox.