I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5770 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide a dental insurance plan 
to veterans and survivors and dependents of veterans. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 13, 2016 
Miss RICE of New York introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide a dental 
insurance plan to veterans and survivors and dependents 
of veterans. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Department of Vet-
erans Affairs Dental Insurance Reauthorization Act of 
2016’’. 
SEC. 2. DENTAL INSURANCE PLAN FOR VETERANS AND 
SURVIVORS AND DEPENDENTS OF VETERANS. 
(a) DENTAL INSURANCE PLAN.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 17 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by in-
serting after section 1712B the following new sec-
tion: 
‘‘§ 1712C. Dental insurance plan for veterans and sur-
vivors and dependents of veterans 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
and administer a dental insurance plan for veterans and 
survivors and dependents of veterans described in sub-
section (b). 
‘‘(b) COVERED VETERANS AND SURVIVORS AND DE-
PENDENTS.—The veterans and survivors and dependents 
of veterans described in this subsection are as follows: 
‘‘(1) Any veteran who is enrolled in the system 
of annual patient enrollment under section 1705 of 
this title. 
‘‘(2) Any survivor or dependent of a veteran 
who is eligible for medical care under section 1781 
of this title. 
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall contract 
with a dental insurer to administer the dental insurance 
plan under this section. 
‘‘(d) BENEFITS.—The dental insurance plan under 
this section shall provide such benefits for dental care and 
treatment as the Secretary considers appropriate for the 
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dental insurance plan, including diagnostic services, pre-
ventative services, endodontics and other restorative serv-
ices, surgical services, and emergency services. 
‘‘(e) ENROLLMENT.—(1) Enrollment in the dental in-
surance plan under this section shall be voluntary. 
‘‘(2) Enrollment in the dental insurance plan shall 
be for such minimum period as the Secretary shall pre-
scribe for purposes of this section. 
‘‘(f) PREMIUMS.—(1) Premiums for coverage under 
the dental insurance plan under this section shall be in 
such amount or amounts as the Secretary shall prescribe 
to cover all costs associated with carrying out this section. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall adjust the premiums pay-
able under this section for coverage under the dental in-
surance plan on an annual basis. Each individual covered 
by the dental insurance plan at the time of such an adjust-
ment shall be notified of the amount and effective date 
of such adjustment. 
‘‘(3) Each individual covered by the dental insurance 
plan shall pay the entire premium for coverage under the 
dental insurance plan, in addition to the full cost of any 
copayments. 
‘‘(g) VOLUNTARY DISENROLLMENT.—(1) With re-
spect to enrollment in the dental insurance plan under this 
section, the Secretary shall— 
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‘‘(A) permit the voluntary disenrollment of an 
individual in the dental insurance plan if the 
disenrollment occurs during the 30-day period begin-
ning on the date of the enrollment of the individual 
in the dental insurance plan; and 
‘‘(B) permit the voluntary disenrollment of an 
individual in the dental insurance plan for such cir-
cumstances as the Secretary shall prescribe for pur-
poses of this subsection, but only to the extent such 
disenrollment does not jeopardize the fiscal integrity 
of the dental insurance plan. 
‘‘(2) The circumstances prescribed under paragraph 
(1)(B) shall include the following: 
‘‘(A) If an individual enrolled in the dental in-
surance plan relocates to a location outside the juris-
diction of the dental insurance plan that prevents 
use of the benefits under the dental insurance plan. 
‘‘(B) If an individual enrolled in the dental in-
surance plan is prevented by a serious medical con-
dition from being able to obtain benefits under the 
dental insurance plan. 
‘‘(C) Such other circumstances as the Secretary 
shall prescribe for purposes of this subsection. 
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall establish procedures for de-
terminations 
on 
the 
permissibility 
of 
voluntary 
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disenrollments under paragraph (1)(B). Such procedures 
shall ensure timely determinations on the permissibility of 
such disenrollments. 
‘‘(h) RELATIONSHIP TO DENTAL CARE PROVIDED BY 
SECRETARY.—Nothing in this section shall affect the re-
sponsibility of the Secretary to provide dental care under 
section 1712 of this title, and the participation of an indi-
vidual in the dental insurance plan under this section shall 
not affect the entitlement of the individual to outpatient 
dental services and treatment, and related dental appli-
ances, under such section 1712. 
‘‘(i) REGULATIONS.—The dental insurance plan 
under this section shall be administered under such regu-
lations as the Secretary shall prescribe. 
‘‘(j) TERMINATION.—This section terminates on De-
cember 31, 2021.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 1712B the following new item: 
‘‘1712C. Dental insurance plan for veterans and survivors and dependents of 
veterans.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING REPEAL.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 510 of the Care-
givers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 
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2010 (Public Law 111–163; 38 U.S.C. 1712 note) 
is repealed. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents for the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus 
Health Services Act of 2010 is amended by striking 
the item relating to section 510. 
Æ 
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