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February 6, 2007
The Bill is Back:
HB 7069 An Act
Concerning Access to Oral Health Care |
The General Assembly's Public Health Committee
today filed the new bill that would help HUSKY kids get
access to oral health care services.
Proposed HB 7069, 'An Act Concerning Access to Oral
Health Care', would raise HUSKY dental
reimbursement rates for children under the age of
19 to the 70th percentile. Some minor language
changes will be needed, but the bill is a big
step forward.
Other provisions include appointing up to six
'regional oral health coordinators' to assist HUSKY
children in areas with poor access to care. It would
also formally establish the State Office of Oral
Public Health within the State Department of
Health.
HB 7069's reimbursement language mirrors last year's
bill that successfully cleared the Public Health and
Appropriations Committees. Special thanks to
Representative Peggy Sayers and Senator Mary Ann
Handley for their leadership in raising the Public
Health Committee's bill.
Speaker Representative Sayer was recently awarded
one of COHI's Champion of Oral Health Awards.
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Speaker Amann Testifies in Favor of
Increasing HUSKY Dental Rates |
House Speaker Jim Amann, testifying at a public
hearing before the Select Committee on Children at
the Legislative Office Building, spoke in favor of
increasing HUSKY dental reimbursement rates today.
Addressing two bills he had introduced, HB
6158 (An Act Concerning Health Insurance
Coverage for Children) and HB 6722 (An Act
Concerning Healthy Kids Initiative), Speaker Amann
said that low rates are keeping HUSKY children from
receiving needed oral health care.
Also speaking at the hearing and indicating support
for increasing rates in their testimony, were COHI
Board member Jamey Bell from Greater Hartford Legal
Aid and Liz Brown from the Commission on Children. COHI Executive
Director Marty Milkovic also
testified in support of HB 6158 and increasing
rates.
Speaker Amann was recently awarded one of COHI's
Champion of Oral Health Awards. We appreciate
his leadership and support.
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| Make a Difference in Public Policy |
Supporters of access to oral health care can use
COHI's legislative action website.
At the website you can do a host of things including
track bills, send e-mails to legislators,
legislative committees and legislators by town. The
site also has links to information, hearing &
meeting schedules and more.
The site is maintained by Judith Blei Government
Relations. To access the site, click on the link
below. Then choose "Log in to our secure bill
tracking site
(username and password required)"
Type in the username "cohi" (without the quotes) and
the password "cohi" (without the quotes) to enter
the legislative action site. You can focus on key
legislation by clicking on "List Priority Bills Only".
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| How You Can Help |
Plan to Testify for Oral Health Access
The new oral health bill has been filed,
so now is a good time to plan for testifying at that
important hearing.
Read the Guide
to Testifying at a Public Hearing and use support
materials at COHI's website to prepare your
testimony. Contact COHI for help.
Another good source of information on the
legislative process is the Connecticut Network's
(CT-N) Joining
The Debate: A Guide To Testifying At Public
Hearings.
Write to Your Legislators
Use the COHI Legislative Action Link (below left) to
find your legislator and e-mail them. They need to hear from their
constituents about the
importance of oral health care access.
Write Letters to the Editor
Create momentum by keeping oral health in the media. Newspapers look
for topical letters. Look to this
space soon for samples.
All of these strategies are critical now that we
have an oral health access bill. Stay tuned for more!
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Our Mission:
"Oral Health
for All"
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