Oral Health Alert from the Connecticut
Oral Health Initiative (COHI)

April 17, 2007

In this Issue:
  • Proposed Budget Would Raise HUSKY Dental Rates
  • What's Next ?
  • Appropriations Committee Members

  • Proposed Budget Would Raise HUSKY Dental Rates
    Children


    The Appropriations Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly has included $20 Million in its proposed budget to increase HUSKY dental reimbursement rates.

    The line item in the Department of Social Services (DSS) budget (see link below) specifically targets rates paid to HUSKY providers. The Committee's budget was prepared in response to the Governor's budget, which did not increase HUSKY dental rates.

    The amount proposed should be enough to raise HUSKY dental rates to the 70th percentile in the first year. Half ($10M) would be reimbursed by the Federal government. Please take a minute to thank the Appropriations Committee Chairs and your representative and/or Senator, if they are on the Committee. See the article to the right.

    And a big THANK YOU to everyone who has worked hard to achieve our success so far. We're close and our goal is in sight !


    What's Next ?
    Dome

    Several things need to happen for us to achieve our goal of improved access to oral health care for HUSKY kids through fair dental rates.

    • There must be money in the State's budget
      Right now the Appropriations Committee version of the budget has the money and the Governor's version does not. Look for more information in future COHI Alerts on how we can persuade Governor Rell to support helping HUSKY kids.

    • The Legislature must approve language to implement setting rates at the 70th percentile
      Without the language DSS could set the rates lower, maybe too low to make a difference. These bills, approved by committee and now before the full General Assembly, contain the language: HB 7069, SB 1, SB 3, HB 7322 and HB 7375. HB 7069 is our dental-only bill, the others are health care improvement bills. The legislature may also include the language in the 'Implementer Bill" that puts the budget into effect.

      Because this is somewhat complicated, the best message to give to legislators and the Governor is "Please support raising HUSKY dental reimbursement rates to the 70th percentile". That covers all the bases.
    Look for future COHI Alerts for what you can do to keep the momentum going. Thanks for your past support.

    Appropriations Committee Members

    Appropriations Member Position P District e-mail
    S10 - Harp, Toni Nathaniel Co-Chair D New Haven, West Haven Harp@senatedems.ct.gov
    054 - Merrill, Denise W. Co-Chair D Chaplin, Mansfield Denise.Merrill@cga.ct.gov
    S15 - Hartley, Joan V. Vice Chair D Naugatuck, Prospect, Waterbury Hartley@senatedems.ct.gov
    101 - Heinrich, Deborah W. Vice Chair D Guilford, Madison Deborah.Heinrich@cga.ct.gov
    039 - Hewett, Ernest Vice Chair D New London Ernest.Hewett@cga.ct.gov
    026 - Tercyak, Peter A. Vice Chair D New Britain Peter.Tercyak@cga.ct.gov
    S24 - Cappiello, David J. Ranking Member R Bethel, Danbury, New Fairfield, Sherman David.Cappiello@cga.ct.gov
    070 - DelGobbo, Kevin M. Ranking Member R Naugatuck Kevin.DelGobbo@housegop.ct.gov
    S21 - Debicella, Dan Member R Monroe, Seymour, Shelton, Stratford Dan.Debicella@cga.ct.gov
    S25 - Duff, Bob Member D Norwalk, Darien Duff@senatedems.ct.gov
    S26 - Freedman, Judith G. Member R Bethel, New Caanan, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Wilton Judith.G.Freedman@cga.ct.gov
    S23 - Gomes, Edwin A. Member D Bridgeport, Stratford Gomes@senatedems.ct.gov
    S04 - Handley, Mary Ann Member D Bolton, Glastonbury, Manchester, Marlborough Handley@senatedems.ct.gov
    S05 - Harris, Jonathan A. Member D West Hartford, Bloomfield, Burlington, Farmington Harris@senatedems.ct.gov
    S28 - McKinney, John Member R Easton, Fairfield, Newtown, Weston John.McKinney@cga.ct.gov
    S19 - Prague, Edith G. Member D Andover, Bozrah, Columbia, Franklin, Hebron, Lebanon, Ledyard, Lisbon, Montville, Norwich, Sprague Prague@senatedems.ct.gov
    S14 - Slossberg, Gayle S. Member D Milford, Orange, West Haven Slossberg@senatedems.ct.gov
    103 - Adinolfi, Al Member R Cheshire, Wallingford, Hamden Al.Adinolfi@housegop.ct.gov
    121 - Backer, Terry Member D Stratford Terry.Backer@cga.ct.gov
    143 - Boucher, Antonietta Member R Wilton, Norwalk Toni.Boucher@cga.ct.gov
    077 - Burns, Ron Member R Bristol Ron.Burns@housegop.ct.gov
    095 - Candelaria, Juan R. Member D New Haven Juan.Candelaria@cga.ct.gov
    086 - Candelora, Vincent J. Member R Wallingford, Branford, East Haven Vincent.Candelora@housegop.ct.gov
    067 - Chapin, Clark J. Member R New Milford Clark.Chapin@housegop.ct.gov
    124 - Clemons, Charles D. Member D Bridgeport Charles.Clemons@cga.ct.gov
    071 - D'Amelio, Anthony J. Member R Middlebury, Waterbury Anthony.DAmelio@housegop.ct.gov
    092 - Dillon, Patricia A. Member D New Haven Patricia.Dillon@cga.ct.gov
    006 - Feltman, Art Member D Hartford Art.Feltman@cga.ct.gov
    062 - Ferrari, Richard F. Member R Barkhamsted, E. Granby, Granby, New Hartford Richard.Ferrari@housegop.ct.gov
    018 - Fleischmann, Andrew M. Member D West Hartford Andrew.Fleischmann@cga.ct.gov
    010 - Genga, Henry Member D East Hartford henry.genga@cga.ct.gov
    025 - Geragosian, John C. Member D New Britain John.Geragosian@cga.ct.gov
    003 - Gonzalez, Minnie Member D Hartford Minnie.Gonzalez@cga.ct.gov
    034 - Hamm, Gail K. Member D East Hampton, Middletown Gail.Hamm@cga.ct.gov
    120 - Harkins, John A. Member R Stratford John.Harkins@housegop.ct.gov
    112 - Hovey, DebraLee Member R Newtown, Monroe DebraLee.Hovey@housegop.ct.gov
    005 - Kirkley-Bey, Marie Lopez Member D Hartford Marie.Lopez.Kirkley-Bey@cga.ct.gov
    008 - Lewis, Joan A. Member D Coventry, Vernon, Columbia Joan.Lewis@cga.ct.gov
    047 - Malone, Jack Member D Canterbury, Norwich, Scotland, Sprague Jack.Malone@cga.ct.gov
    007 - McCrory, Douglas Member D Hartford Douglas.McCrory@cga.ct.gov
    027 - Nafis, Sandy H Member D Newington Sandy.Nafis@cga.ct.gov
    035 - O'Connor, Brian J. Member D Clinton, Killingworth, Westbrook Brian.OConnor@cga.ct.gov
    069 - O'Neill, Arthur J. Member R Bridgewater, Roxbury, Southbury, Washington Arthur.ONeill@housegop.ct.gov
    048 - Orange, Linda A. Member D Colchester, East Haddam Linda.Orange@cga.ct.gov
    042 - Reynolds, Tom Member D Preston, Ledyard, Montville Tom.Reynolds@cga.ct.gov
    038 - Ritter, Elizabeth B. Member D Waterford, Montville Elizabeth.Ritter@cga.ct.gov
    119 - Roy, Richard Member D Milford Richard.Roy@cga.ct.gov
    139 - Ryan, Kevin Member D Bozrah, Franklin, Lebanon, Montville Kevin.Ryan@cga.ct.gov
    135 - Stripp, John E. Member R Easton, Redding, Weston John.Stripp@housegop.ct.gov
    013 - Thompson, John W. Member D Manchester Jack.Thompson@cga.ct.gov
    145 - Truglia, Christel H. Member D Stamford Christel.Truglia@cga.ct.gov
    043 - Urban, Diana S. Member D North Stonington, Stonington Diana.Urban@cga.ct.gov
    093 - Walker, Toni E. Member D New Haven Toni.Walker@cga.ct.gov
    106 - Wasserman, Julia B. Member R Newtown Julia.Wasserman@housegop.ct.gov
    064 - Willis, Roberta B. Member D Cornwall, Goshen, Salisbury, Sharon, Torrington Roberta.Willis@cga.ct.gov


    Thanks to the Appropriations Committee
    email logo

    Now is a great time to thank the Appropriations Committee for including funds in their proposed budget to increase HUSKY dental rates.

    It's easy to do. Just click on the appropriate email address in the Appropriations Committee list below left. We suggest that you send an email to your Senator and/or Representative if they are on the Committee, and separate emails to the Co-Chairs.

    It is important to use your own words, but cover these points:

    • Thank you for including $20 Million in your budget to raise HUSKY dental rates.

    • Give examples why this is important in their district, if possible.

    • Ask them to please remember to include language to implement setting rates at the 70th percentile.

    Please send COHI a copy: martym@ctoralhealth.org.

    Thanks !

    More Appropriations Committee Member Information
    Quick Links...

    COHI Advocacy Toolkit

    Recent COHI Updates

    Recent COHI Alerts

    Action Website (user/password: cohi)

    Our Mission:

    "Oral Health for All"




    Join our mailing list!
    phone: 860.246.2644

    Forward email

    This email was sent to martym@ctoralhealth.org, by martym@ctoralhealth.org

    Connecticut Oral Health Initiative | 175 Main Street | Hartford | CT | 06106