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| Washington, D.C. — Washington, D.C. - Today, by a vote of 225-205, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) joined his colleagues in passing H.R. 3162, the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007 (CHAMP Act). The bill, which contains language authored by Congressman Cummings to expand dental coverage for children, will provide 11 million children with health insurance and improve Medicare benefits for our seniors.
"I am proud to have cast my vote in favor of this legislation, which works to protect the health of our children and seniors," Congressman Cummings said. "Access to quality, affordable health care is a right, not a privilege. No one should be denied that right-especially not those who are the most vulnerable."
In addition to re-authorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to prevent 6 million children from losing their health coverage, the CHAMP Act also improves the program to expand access to another 5 million children who are currently eligible for CHIP but not enrolled. Since its creation in 1997, CHIP has received broad bipartisan support and has proven to be a successful program.
The CHAMP Act also includes provisions to provide critical access to dental care through CHIP. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that dental disease is the single most common chronic childhood disease in the country, and tooth decay has actually increased among children in the past decade.
"Earlier this year, a young boy from Maryland named Deamonte Driver died after a tooth infection spread to his brain. Forty dollars' worth of dental care could have saved his life, but he did not have access to a dentist," Congressman Cummings said. "We would not accept such gross negligence in our treatment of preventable diseases like Tuberculosis or Smallpox, and we must not accept it for dental disease, either."
In addition to protecting access to health care for children, the CHAMP Act also includes provisions to strengthen Medicare, control out of pocket costs for seniors and help ensure seniors have access to the doctors of their choice by stopping a scheduled 10 percent payment cut to doctors. The legislation also ends massive overpayments to private health organizations like HMOs and makes a series of preventative screenings free for Medicare beneficiaries.
"The CHAMP Act is truly a victory for our children and seniors, and a victory for all Americans by extension," Congressman Cummings said. "I urge the President to refrain from playing politics with the health of our most vulnerable populations. The millions of children and seniors affected by this bill deserve and demand the care to which they are entitled
The CHAMP Act will secure the coverage of 136,000 children currently enrolled in Maryland's CHIP program, increasing allotted funds and allowing it room to reach additional eligible but uninsured children. In addition, more than 230,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Maryland-including seniors and people with disabilities-with incomes under 150% of the poverty level will be helped by improvements in the Medicare Savings Program and Low Income Subsidy Program.
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