Continuation of Federal SCHIP Funding

In Virginia, the Smiles for Children dental program provides comprehensive dental benefits for children (and pregnant women after March 1, 2015) who are enrolled in Medicaid and FAMIS. Smiles for Children operates the two programs so seamlessly it can be easy to forget that Medicaid and FAMIS are funded through separate federal programs. The State Children's Health Insurance Partnership (or "SCHIP") is the federal program that enables FAMIS -- the program that provides affordable medical and dental coverage to nearly 200,00 children and pregnant women in Virginia living in families earning too much to qualify for Medicaid (over $26,321/year for a family of three or 134% FPL and less than $39,581 for a family of three or 200% FPL). Federal funding for FAMIS expires September 2015. If funding does not continue, the majority of those insured through FAMIS will lose their medical and dental benefits. Learn more.

Coalition staff were joined by a Virginia consumer and representatives from Voices for Virginia's Children, Virginia Consumer Voices for Healthcare, Virginia Organizing and CHIP of Virginia to tell our Virginia representatives in Congress that funding SCHIP is vital to the health and well-being of vulnerable Virginians. 

If you'd like to support these efforts, please add your organization's name to a letter in favor of a funding extension. for more information email your organization's information to Carrie Wampler.

Dental Benefits for Pregnant Women

VaOHC will continue to advocate to ensure that dental benefits for pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid and FAMIS, included as part of Governor McAuliffe's A Healthy Virginia initiative, remain in the Commonwealth's budget moving forward. There are several ways for you to get involved.

LISTEN to a webinar on Friday, December 19 at 10:30 a.m. to hear more about our 2015 legislative priorities for Virginia. Email Carrie Wampler to register.

REGISTER for our 2015 Legislative Day at the Virginia General Assembly on Tuesday, February 3. Appointments with legislators will be made on your behalf and talking points will be provided.  Register now.
 

VaOHC was just awarded funding from the DentaQuest Foundation to implement Oral Health 2020-Virginia (OH2020).  The ultimate goal of OH2020 is to improve overall health by integrating oral health into all aspects of health care.  We will strive toward this goal by broadening the network of oral health partners in Virginia, cultivating regional activities, ensuring policies and laws support access and integration, and supporting integration efforts in practice.  This is a bold, necessary and achievable initiative -- but, to realize our goal, we need a diverse set of doers and leaders to outline the strategies and implement the program.
 

If you are interested in participating in the development and execution of this program, please email Sarah Bedard Holland.