House and Senate SCHIP Reauthorization: Comparison of Dental Provisions

On July 31, 2007 the House of Representatives passed the Child Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007 (CHAMP) which would reauthorized the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for five years (SCHIP expires September 30). commencing October 2007 (FY 2008). The next day, the Senate passed the Child Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act. Within the more than 700 pages of legislation created by these two bills are a number of provisions important to children’s dental coverage, quality of dental care, and access to dental services. This brief compares and contrasts the dental each of the provisions in the two bills. Legislative language is shown in italicsof CDHP’s analysis as notes.