Vision Care for Kids Act of 2009

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on March 23, 2009. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Vision Care for Kids Act of 2009 - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to award matching grants to states to complement existing state efforts to: (1) provide comprehensive eye examinations from a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist to eligible children who have been previously identified through a vision screening or eye examination by a licensed health care provider or vision screener as needing such services, with priority given to children who are under the age of nine years; (2) provide treatment or services as necessary to correct identified vision problems; and (3) develop and disseminate to parents, teachers, and health care practitioners educational materials on recognizing signs of visual impairment in children. Defines "eligible child" as a low-income child who: (1) is not eligible for medical assistance under Medicaid; (2) is not eligible for child health assistance under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), unless such plan does not provide coverage of such examination, treatment, or service; (3) does not have health insurance coverage unless no amount is payable under the coverage for such examination, treatment, or service; and (4) is not receiving assistance under state health compensation program or any other federal or state health benefits program.

Requires the Secretary to develop criteria: (1) governing the operation of the grant program; and (2) for the collection of data related to vision assessment and the utilization of follow-up services.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov