[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 498 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 498

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize dental insurance 
 for veterans and survivors and dependents of veterans, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 26, 2009

   Mr. Burr introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize dental insurance 
 for veterans and survivors and dependents of veterans, 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. DENTAL INSURANCE FOR VETERANS AND SURVIVORS AND DEPENDENTS 
              OF VETERANS.

    (a) Dental Insurance Authorized.--Subchapter II of chapter 17 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
1712B the following new section:
``Sec. 1712C. Dental insurance: veterans; certain survivors and 
              dependents of veterans
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall provide a dental insurance 
plan for the veterans and survivors and dependents of veterans 
described in subsection (b).
    ``(b) Covered Veterans and Survivors and Dependents.--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) Benefits.--The dental insurance plan under this section shall 
provide such benefits for dental care and treatment as the Secretary 
considers appropriate for the dental insurance plan, including 
diagnostic services, preventative services, endodontics and other 
restorative services, surgical services, and emergency services.
    ``(d) Enrollment.--(1) Enrollment in the dental insurance plan 
under this section shall be voluntary.
    ``(2) Enrollment in the dental insurance plan shall be for such 
minimum period as the Secretary shall prescribe for purposes of this 
section.
    ``(e) 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 for purposes of this section. The amount 
or amounts so prescribed shall be sufficient to ensure that amounts 
collected as premiums shall cover the entire cost to the Secretary of 
the dental insurance plan.
    ``(2) The Secretary shall adjust the premiums payable under this 
section for coverage under the dental insurance plan on an annual 
basis. Each individual covered by the dental insurance plan at the time 
of such an adjustment shall be notified (by writing or by electronic 
mail) 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.
    ``(f) Voluntary Disenrollment.--(1) With respect to enrollment in 
the dental insurance plan under this section, the Secretary shall--
            ``(A) permit the voluntary disenrollment of an individual 
        in the dental insurance plan if the disenrollment occurs during 
        the 30-day period beginning 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 circumstances as the 
        Secretary shall prescribe for purposes 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 insurance 
        plan relocates to a location outside the jurisdiction of the 
        dental insurance plan that prevents utilization of the benefits 
        under the dental insurance plan.
            ``(B) If an individual enrolled in the dental insurance 
        plan is prevented by a serious medical condition 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 determinations 
on the permissibility of voluntary disenrollments under paragraph 
(1)(B). Such procedures shall ensure timely determinations on the 
permissibility of such disenrollments.
    ``(g) Relationship to Dental Care Provided by Secretary.--Nothing 
in this section shall affect the responsibility of the Secretary to 
provide dental care under section 1712 of this title and the 
participation of an individual in the dental insurance plan under this 
section shall not affect the individual's entitlement to outpatient 
dental services and treatment, and related dental appliances, under 
that section.
    ``(h) Regulations.--The dental insurance plan under this section 
shall be administered under such regulations as the Secretary shall 
prescribe.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 17 of such title is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 1712B the following new item:

``1712C. Dental insurance: veterans; certain survivors and dependents 
                            of veterans.''.
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