I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2410 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs to provide administrative support to providers of dental care 
who provide such care to veterans that is not furnished under such 
title, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a pilot 
program for the provision of dental care to certain veterans, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 30, 2023 
Mr. BILIRAKIS (for himself, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. VAN DREW, Mr. FERGUSON, and 
Mr. WALTZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide administrative 
support to providers of dental care who provide such 
care to veterans that is not furnished under such title, 
to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish 
a pilot program for the provision of dental care to certain 
veterans, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Early Treat-
ment for Chronic Ailment Resurgence through Examina-
tions Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘VET CARE Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY PRO-
VIDERS OF DENTAL CARE. 
Section 1712 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as 
subsections (e) and (f), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing new subsection (d): 
‘‘(d)(1) The Secretary may furnish, to a provider of 
dental care described in paragraph (2), administrative 
support (including information for the provider to share 
with veterans regarding the dental insurance plan under 
section 1712C of this title) related to dental care described 
in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(2) Dental care described in this paragraph is— 
‘‘(A) provided to a veteran; 
‘‘(B) not furnished under a law administered by 
the Secretary; and’’. 
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE PROVISION OF DENTAL 
CARE TO CERTAIN VETERANS. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
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(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall carry out a pilot program to pro-
vide outpatient dental services and treatment, and 
related dental appliances, to eligible veterans en-
rolled under subsection (c)(3), at no cost to such 
veterans. 
(2) PURPOSE.—Under the pilot program, the 
Secretary shall determine whether there is a correla-
tion between veterans receiving such services and 
treatment, and the veterans suffering fewer com-
plications of chronic ailments, thereby yielding a 
lower cost of care. 
(3) STEERING
COMMITTEE: ESTABLISHMENT; 
DUTY; AUTHORITY.—The Secretary shall appoint a 
scientific steering committee to ensure that results 
of clinical trials conducted under the pilot program 
withstand the peer review process. To carry out such 
duty, the steering committee— 
(A) shall establish comprehensive ethical 
and scientific protocols for clinical trials; and 
(B) may alter the definition of ‘‘eligible 
veteran’’ in subsection (b). 
(b) ELIGIBLE VETERAN DEFINED.—In this section, 
subject to subsection (a)(3)(B), the term ‘‘eligible vet-
eran’’ means a veteran who— 
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(1) is enrolled in the system of annual patient 
enrollment under section 1705 of title 38, United 
States Code; 
(2) is not eligible for dental care under section 
1712 of title 38, United States Code; 
(3) the Secretary determines does not receive 
regular periodontal care; 
(4) is between 40 and 70 years of age; and 
(5) has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. 
(c) APPLICATION; EVALUATION; DISQUALIFICATION; 
ENROLLMENT; CATEGORIZATION.— 
(1) APPLICATION.—An eligible veteran may 
elect to apply for the pilot program. 
(2) EVALUATION; DISQUALIFICATION.—An eli-
gible veteran who applies for the pilot program shall 
receive an initial periodontal evaluation, including 
vertical bitewing radiographs. Any eligible veteran 
diagnosed with periodontal disease that requires sur-
gery shall be disqualified from the pilot program. 
(3) ENROLLMENT; CATEGORIZATION.—The Sec-
retary shall enroll at least 1,500 eligible veterans 
who apply for the pilot program, giving preference to 
veterans with service-connected disabilities that in-
creases in accordance with the veterans’ disability 
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