Placing the final legislative capstone on the health care reform effort, the House passed the reconciliation package Thursday night with a vote of 220-207 after the Senate sent the bill back with some minor changes to language concerning Pell grants.  The President will now sign the reconciliation bill, which makes some budget-related amendments to the historic Patient Protection and Affordable Care signed into law on Tuesday.  The only amendment affecting oral health is the exclusion of dental provisions from the high-cost plan excise tax.

This historic new legislation promotes early and effective prevention, assures families that they can obtain dental insurance for their children, and strengthens dental care across the country.  CDHP will be releasing more information on the impact of the provisions in the health care bill and reconciliation package in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, a summary of the oral health provisions included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are available here on CDHP's website.