In February, 2007, Deamonte Driver of Maryland died of a toothache. He was a 12 year old from a poor family, whose single mother struggled to make ends meet.  Dental care was not an option beyond what the state offered (inadequate at best).

Because Mr. Driver required two surgeries and six weeks in the hospital to counter the infection that spread to his brain, the cost to the state exceeded $250,000.  However, had they fixed the tooth in the early stages of infection, the cost probably would not have exceeded $100.

The story of Mr. Driver serves as an example for what is absolutely wrong with the current “system” of health care delivery for low-income people and even middle income people without health insurance. 

While the Federal Government requires states to provide dental care to children through Medicaid programs, most states suffer because there is a shortage of dentists who will treat “indigent” patients.   And unfortunately, many, if not most, people don’t even know the importance of dental care to their overall health.  Clearly, we have not done an adequate job educating the public about oral care. 

I authored Assembly Bill (AB) No. 834 during this past legislative session.  AB 834 would have expanded dental care by changing the state’s dental care reimbursement rate from a $10 maximum to a $10 minimum.  Unfortunately, AB 834 was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger.  Fortunately, he has since agreed to handle the reimbursement rates administratively.  The Governor made the right decision.
 
There are 6,618 children enrolled in the Healthy Families Program (Medi-Cal) in Assembly District (AD) 1 8.  AD 14 is home to 4,230 SCHIP children.  There are 5,095 children in AD 15 and 5,467 children in AD 16.  President George Bush’s recent veto of legislation to authorize funding for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has the potential to devastate every level of health care for the most at-risk children.
Children who may already suffer from poor nutrition, poor hygiene and lack properly insolated homes…thus increasing their susceptibility to all illness.

For California the President’s veto translates to an estimated $342 million shortfall in the Healthy Families Program.  It also means the state may have to begin disenrolling 64,000 children a month from Healthy Families beginning in January 2008.  The situation is dire.  And while we have embarked on a road to reform health care in California, I am not certain our plan adequately addresses the needs of low-income children and their families.

Please join me in urging the Congress to take emergency measures to reauthorize funding for SCHIP…beyond the flat level as prescribed by recent legislation (PL 110-92). 

Assemblymember Mary Hayashi
Eighteenth District