Ensuring Kids Have Access to Medically Necessary Dental Care Act

Bill: 117-s-448
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD]
Introduced: 2021-02-25
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Child health

Dental care

Health care costs and insurance

Health care coverage and access

Poverty and welfare assistance
Latest action: action_date: 2021-02-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S892-894)

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-02-25
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Ensuring Kids Have Access to Medically Necessary Dental Care Act</b></p> <p>This bill modifies dental coverage under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Specifically, the bill prohibits lifetime or annual limits on CHIP dental coverage. It also requires states to offer dental-only supplemental coverage under CHIP to children who have other health insurance but are otherwise eligible for CHIP (i.e., wraparound coverage); such coverage is currently at the option of the state.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 448 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 25, 2021 Mr. Cardin (for himself and Ms. Stabenow ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to prohibit lifetime or annual limits on dental coverage under the Children's Health Insurance Program, and to require wraparound coverage of dental services for certain children under such program.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ensuring Kids Have Access to Medically Necessary Dental Care Act . 2. Prohibition of lifetime or annual limits on dental benefits under the Children's Health Insurance Program (a) In general Section 2103(c)(6) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1397cc(c)(6) ) is amended— (1) in subparagraph (A), by inserting , subject to subparagraph (D), after shall include ; (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking A State and inserting Subject to subparagraph (D), a State ; and (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (D) No lifetime or annual limits on dental benefits A State shall not establish lifetime or annual limits on the dollar value of benefits for dental services provided under the State child health plan to a targeted low-income child, and, in the case that the State elects to provide pregnancy-related assistance pursuant to section 2112, to a targeted low-income pregnant woman (as defined in section 2112(d)), including benefits for such services that are provided through dental coverage that is otherwise equivalent to a benchmark dental package described in subparagraph (C). . (b) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date that is 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act. 3. Requiring wraparound coverage of dental services for certain children under CHIP (a) In general Section 2110(b)(5) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1397jj(b)(5) ) is amended— (1) in the paragraph header, by striking Option and inserting Requirement ; (2) in subparagraph (A), by striking may waive and inserting shall waive ; and (3) in subparagraph (C)— (A) in the subparagraph header, by striking Conditions and inserting Requirements ; and (B) by striking may not offer dental-only supplemental coverage under this paragraph unless the State satisfies the following conditions and inserting shall offer dental-only supplemental coverage under this paragraph in accordance with the following requirements . (b) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date that is 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act.