Remarks before Southeastern Connecticut Oral Health Collaborative Groton, Connecticut

Bob Slate
September 18, 2003

Good afternoon! I'm Bob Slate, first full-time Executive Director of COHI, the Connecticut Oral Health Initiative.

Let me begin with a recent quote from our Commander-in-Chief, George Bush: 

"We can overcome problems. We're smart and resourceful people. We're also a compassionate people, people who are willing to love a neighbor just like we love ourselves. That's what I love most about America. I love the fact that there are people who hurt -- I love the fact that when somebody is hurting in your neighborhood, you're likely to walk across the street and say, what can I do to help? It's a fabulous country we have. 

"Oh, yes, we've got problems. There's no doubt in my mind, because of the character of the American people, we can overcome any problem that's in our way." - George Bush September 16, 2003

Wow - that's inspirational! 

America is a great nation, and Connecticut is a great state! 

But the President talks about the status quo. 

YOU work here in the trenches. 

All is not bright sunshine in America or in Connecticut.

You know better. 

The fact that you are here today means that you reject the status quo. 

It is a national disgrace that in the 21st century, millions of Americans and thousands of Connecticut residents don't have access to basic preventative and restorative dental care. 

Thousands of our children can't eat or sleep properly, can't pay attention in school, can't smile, because they're suffering with untreated disease that could have been prevented and can easily be treated. 

With all due respect to our President, let me quote from a recent American Dental Association publication: 

"Charity alone will never solve the problem, because charity isn't a health care system. And our children deserve better than to have to depend on charity for basic dental care." 

COHI believes that government has the responsibility to step in and make sure that dental programs are not shortchanged - that good oral health becomes everyone's business, not just dentists'. 

We (COHI and ALL of us) had some important successes recently: 

On June 26th the Governor signed into law SB 212, An Act Concerning the Delivery of Dental Services Under the Medicaid Program. Over a dozen legislators, both Democrats and Republicans, cosponsored SB 212. The law simplifies the delivery of dental care within Medicaid and requires DSS to submit a waiver to implement any Medicaid dental carve-out to both the Human Services and Appropriations Committees for public input and participation. 

AND: The Governor's proposal to eliminate adult dental services from Medicaid was not adopted in the final budget.

However, many cuts that affect access to dental care did pass. 

As you know, in June 1998, the state of Connecticut opened the HUSKY health care plan. HUSKY provides affordable health coverage, including oral care, for Connecticut children with no income limit. 

In January 2001, the state increased HUSKY eligibility for parents of children enrolled in the HUSKY program. 

But this year, HUSKY took several steps backwards. 

To pull some scary numbers from our recent edition of COHI Online: 

HUSKY families will now be subject to copays up to $3 per visit and $1.50 per prescription, at all income levels. 

On top of the copays, HUSKY consumers between 50% and 100% of the federal poverty level - these are families living below the poverty level - will be assessed monthly premiums of $10 per person to a family max of $25/month. 

This applies to families with incomes between $9200 and $18,400 for a family of four. 

For families between 100% and 185% of the federal poverty level ($18,401 to 34,040 for a family of four) will pay copays plus $20 per person per month to a family max of $50. 

HUSKY children with incomes over 185% of the federal poverty level could pay as much as 5% of their total income for care. 

Services covered by HUSKY will be reduced; specific details are still coming out. 

SAGA recipients will enter a managed care system by October 1st run through community health centers; we have no details on that plan either. 

Neither HUSKY nor SAGA will be accepting new applications from legal immigrants who have been in the US less than 5 years. 

Current immigrant enrollees will retain coverage. It is important that they respond quickly to any program notices and renewals - if they lose coverage at any point, they may not be able to re-enroll. 

We are still waiting to hear from a federal judge about the status of the 16,204 HUSKY parents who lost coverage in the February budget deal. 

Until that time, the court's injunction holds and those parents are still on the program. 

The bad news is that 5,116 HUSKY consumers, about half of them children, could not be covered by the suit and lost HUSKY as of July 1st. 

Clearly, Connecticut, and all of America, faces a crisis in oral health care. 

346,000 Connecticut residents do not have health insurance. 

And the number of Americans without private or public dental insurance typically is more than two and a half times the number Americans lacking general health insurance. 

One in thirteen Connecticut residents do not visit a doctor due to costs. 

Health care costs are expected to rise 14% this year. Almost half of bankruptcies are caused by medical bills; 

80% of those patients had some form of medical insurance. 

And while the need grows, governments are actually cutting back on state-supported health and dental services! 

So it may come as no surprise that dental disease has become the most widespread chronic ailment of our youth; for example, it is five times more common than asthma. 

The Surgeon General's reports that "serious oral disorders may undermine self-image and self-esteem, discourage normal social interaction, and lead to chronic stress and depression, as well as incur great financial cost." 

The Connecticut Oral Health Initiative (COHI) believes that we must ensure high-quality, accessible health and dental care for every Connecticut resident, and, indeed, for every American. 

We owe that much to our children, to our families, and to ourselves. 

As the Surgeon General noted, "You're not healthy without good oral health'; COHI couldn't agree more! 

SO thank you all for your tremendous work. 

Thank you for letting me address you today. 

Keep up the good fight. 

Congratulations to the Southeastern Connecticut Oral Health Collaborative. 

And a HUGE thank-you to the Connecticut Health Foundation for its vision and leadership in making quality, affordable oral health care a funding priority. 

PLEASE - let COHI Know how, when and where we can HELP YOU help Connecticut. 

Again, thanks!