I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6580 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to allow veterans who receive health 
care from the Department of Veterans Affairs to be eligible for supple-
mental dental and vision insurance under the Federal Employees Health 
Benefits Program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 26, 2012 
Ms. FUDGE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee 
on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title 5, United States Code, to allow veterans 
who receive health care from the Department of Veterans 
Affairs to be eligible for supplemental dental and vision 
insurance under the Federal Employees Health Benefits 
Program. 
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 ‘‘Veterans Dental and 
Vision Benefits Act of 2012’’. 
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SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF VETERANS FOR SUPPLEMENTAL 
DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE. 
(a) DENTAL BENEFITS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 8951 of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘or a covered veteran 
described in paragraph (8)’’ after ‘‘para-
graph (1) or (2)’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘or the covered vet-
eran’’ after ‘‘the individual’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(8) The term ‘covered veteran’ means a vet-
eran who is enrolled in the health care system estab-
lished under section 1705(a) of title 38.’’. 
(2) PREMIUM SUPPORT FOR VETERANS FACING 
HARDSHIP.—Section 8958(a) of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Each eligible’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘(1) Except as provided by paragraph (2), 
each eligible’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) If the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines 
that a covered veteran obtaining supplemental dental cov-
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erage under this chapter is unable to pay the premiums 
described in paragraph (1) because of financial hardship, 
such veteran shall not be responsible for any of such pre-
miums.’’. 
(b) VISION BENEFITS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 8981 of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘or a covered veteran 
described in paragraph (8)’’ after ‘‘para-
graph (1) or (2)’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘or the covered vet-
eran’’ after ‘‘the individual’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(8) The term ‘covered veteran’ means a vet-
eran who is enrolled in the health care system estab-
lished under section 1705(a) of title 38.’’. 
(2) PREMIUM SUPPORT FOR VETERANS FACING 
HARDSHIP.—Section 8988(a) of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Each eligible’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘(1) Except as provided by paragraph (2), 
each eligible’’; and 
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(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) If the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines 
that a covered veteran obtaining supplemental vision cov-
erage under this chapter is unable to pay the premiums 
described in paragraph (1) because of financial hardship, 
such veteran shall not be responsible for any of such pre-
miums.’’. 
(c) COOPERATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall cooperate with the Director of the Office of Per-
sonnel Management to ensure that a veteran who is en-
rolled in the health care system established under section 
1705(a) of title 38, United States Code, is eligible for the 
supplemental dental and vision insurance benefits under 
chapters 89A and 89B of title 5, United States Code. 
(d) OUTREACH.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
may conduct outreach to inform veterans of the supple-
mental dental and vision insurance provided to veterans 
under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program 
pursuant to chapters 89A and 89B of title 5, United 
States Code, as amended by this section. 
(e) REPORTS.—Once during each three-year period 
beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and 
ending on the date that is nine years after the date of 
such enactment, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
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submit to Congress a report on the implementation of pro-
viding veterans with supplemental dental and vision insur-
ance under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Pro-
gram pursuant to chapters 89A and 89B of title 5, United 
States Code, as amended by this section. 
(f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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