Tennessee Health Care Campaign (THCC)
Health Care is a Human Right
Action Alert on Dental Care for Children
March 20, 2007

1. Dental Care for CoverKids (Senate Bill 1194) - To be voted on Wednesday morning in the Senate General Welfare, Health and Human Resources Committee. Senator Diane Black is the primary senate sponsor. Calls are needed today. Take five minutes for our kids. Ask the state senators below to both vote Senate Bill 1194 out of the Senate General Welfare Committee. In addition, ask them to sign-on and co-sponsor this legislation. If it passes this committee, it will go to the Senate Finance Committee, and then if it passes, it will go to the Senate Floor. We will work to also get this bill passed in the House so that it will become law.

The new CoverKids program, scheduled to begin this spring, does not offer dental care for children. Over the next three years an additional 75,000 children will obtain this health insurance coverage. However, it will not offer dental care, care which children on TennCare and Medicaid currently receive.

Cavities are the most preventable childhood disease and one of the most cost effective. In addition for every state dollar Tennessee spends, Tennessee receive three additional federal dollars because this is Tennessee's share of the federal program called State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

Most states provide dental care through their SCHIP program. Tennessee needs to provide this as well and draw down its share of federal funds.

Go to www.thcc2.org for more details on this bill.

2. Health Care in Tennessee - Weekly radio show every Wednesday, 4-5 Central Time. Details below.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Dental Care for CoverKids: Calls are needed today, Tuesday, March 20. This bill will be voted on by the committee members below. Please call them, especially if they are your state senator.

Members of the Senate General Welfare, Health and Human Resources Committee
Sen. Diane Black, 1-800-449-8366, x11999 (Robertson and part of Sumner counties)
sen.diane.black@legislature.state.tn.us

Sen. Rusty Crowe, 1-800-449-8366, x12468 (Washington and Carter counties)
sen.rusty.crowe@legislature.state.tn.us

Sen. Raymond Finney, 1-800-449-8366, x12427 (Blount and Sevier counties)
sen.raymond.finney@legislature.state.tn.us

Sen. Ophelia Ford, 1-800-449-8366, x11767 (Part of Shelby county)
sen.ophelia.ford@legislature.state.tn.us

Sen. Douglas Henry, Jr., 1-800-449-8366, x13291 (Part of Davidson county)
sen.douglas.henry@legislature.state.tn.us

Sen. Roy Herron, 1-800-449-8366, x14576 (Benton, Decatur, Henry, Henderson, Lake, Obion, Perry, Stewart and Weakley counties)
sen.roy.herron@legislature.state.tn.us

Sen. Jack Johnson, 1-800-449-8366, x1495 (Williamson and part of Davidson counties)
sen.jack.johnson@legislature.state.tn.us

Sen. Rosalind Kurita, 1-800-449-8366, x12374 (Cheatham, Houston, and Montgomery counties)
sen.rosalind.kurita@legislature.state.tn.us

Sen. Randy McNally, 1-800-449-8366, x16806 (Anderson, Loudon, Montoe and part of Knox counties)
sen.randy.mcnally@legislature.state.tn.us

Sen. Ron Ramsey, 1-800-449-8366, x14524 (Johnson and Sullivan counties)
sen.ron.ramsey@legislature.state.tn.us

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Health Care in Tennessee (Radio Free Nashville): Listen to Radio Free Nashville every Wednesday, 4-5 PM Central Time, on line, "Steaming Audio." This week Tony Garr will interview Kyle Davis about Medicare Part D, dental care for children and what is happening in other states. Since Radio Free Nashville is a low-power community radio station, most of you will only be able to listen via streaming audio. To listen in to Radio Free Nashville. CLICK HERE.

1- 877- 431- 7083