Posted on Sat, Jul. 12, 2003
500,000 kids losing dental care
By John Gutierrez-Mier
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
FORT WORTH - The more than half a million Texas children enrolled in the Children's Health Insurance Program will lose their dental coverage on Sept. 1 because of budget cuts made by the Legislature.
Eye care, mental-health services and other benefits will be reduced, causing long-lasting harm to many children, child welfare advocates and parents say.
"This has always been the group of kids that have fallen through the cracks," said Dr. Dale Martin, a Fort Worth pediatric dentist and lawyer, who is a member of the Tarrant County Oral Health Coalition.
(snip)
(snip) On Friday, state Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn urged legislators, who are meeting in a special session, to restore some of the money eliminated from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission budget.
But Gov. Rick Perry isn't expected to address the issue.
"The governor has no plans to open the call to the Legislature," said Kathy Walt, the governor's spokeswoman. (snip/...)
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