Dental Care for Veterans Act
Bill: H.R.914 | Sponsor: Rep. Brownley, Julia (D-CA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Dental Care for Veterans Act
This bill expands eligibility for veterans for dental care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Specifically, the bill makes all veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system eligible for VA-provided dental services. Currently, only veterans who have a service-connected dental issue or meet other narrow criteria are eligible for certain dental services.
The bill phases in eligibility over four years based upon existing eligibility, degree of service-connected disability or other disability, prisoner of war status, award of a Purple Heart, financial need, or VA health care eligibility.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to furnish dental care in the same manner as any other 
                medical service, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Dental Care for Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT THAT SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FURNISH DENTAL 
              CARE IN THE SAME MANNER AS ANY OTHER MEDICAL SERVICE.

    (a) Dental Benefits.--
            (1) In general.--Title 38, United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in section 1701(6), by striking ``as described 
                in sections 1710 and 1712 of this title'';
                    (B) in section 1710(c), by striking the second 
                sentence;
                    (C) in section 1712--
                            (i) by striking subsections (a) and (b);
                            (ii) by redesignating subsections (c), (d), 
                        (e), and (f) as subsections (a), (b), (c), and 
                        (d), respectively; and
                            (iii) in subsection (a), as redesignated by 
                        subparagraph (B)--
                                    (I) by striking ``Dental 
                                appliances'' and inserting ``The 
                                Secretary may furnish dentures, dental 
                                appliances''; and
                                    (II) by striking ``to be furnished 
                                by the Secretary under this section may 
                                be procured by the Secretary'' and 
                                inserting ``under this section and may 
                                procure such appliances''; and
                    (D) by striking section 2062.
            (2) Phased eligibility.--The amendments made by paragraph 
        (1) shall apply as follows:
                    (A) In the case of an individual who is eligible 
                for dental services and appliances furnished by the 
                Secretary of Veterans Affairs under chapter 17 of title 
                38, United States Code, on the date of the enactment of 
                this Act, beginning on the date of the enactment of 
                this Act.
                    (B) In the case of a veteran who is not so eligible 
                on the date of the enactment of this Act and who is 
                described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of 
                section 1705 of such title, beginning on the date that 
                is one year after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act.
                    (C) In the case of a veteran who is not so eligible 
                on the date of the enactment of this Act and who is 
                described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (a) of 
                section 1705 of such title, beginning on the date that 
                is two years after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act.
                    (D) In the case of a veteran who is not so eligible 
                on the date of the enactment of this Act and who is 
                described in paragraph (5) or (6) of subsection (a) of 
                section 1705 of such title, beginning on the date that 
                is three years after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act.
                    (E) In the case of a veteran who is not so eligible 
                on the date of the enactment of this Act and who is 
                described in paragraph (7) or (8) of subsection (a) of 
                section 1705 of such title, beginning on the date that 
                is four years after the date of the enactment of this 
                Act.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 1525(a) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``medicines under section 1712(d)'' 
and inserting ``medicines under section 1712(b)''.
    (c) Clerical Amendments.--Such title is further amended--
            (1) in section 1712, in the heading for such section, by 
        striking ``Dental care'' and inserting ``Appliances'';
            (2) in the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 
        17, by striking the item relating to section 1712 and inserting 
        the following new item:

``1712. Appliances; drugs and medicines for certain disabled veterans; 
                            vaccines.'';
        and
            (3) in the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 
        20, by striking the item relating to section 2062.
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