[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3055 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3055

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide a dental insurance 
       plan to veterans and survivors and dependents of veterans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 14, 2016

 Mr. Burr (for himself and Mr. Tester) 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 provide a dental insurance 
       plan to veterans and survivors and dependents of veterans.

    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 ``Department of Veterans Affairs 
Dental Insurance Reauthorization Act of 2016''.

SEC. 2. DENTAL INSURANCE PLAN FOR VETERANS AND SURVIVORS AND DEPENDENTS 
              OF VETERANS.

    (a) Dental Insurance Plan.--
            (1) In general.--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 plan for veterans and survivors 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 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) 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 dental insurance plan, including 
diagnostic services, preventative services, endodontics and other 
restorative services, surgical services, and emergency services.
    ``(e) 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.
    ``(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 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 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 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 use 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.
    ``(h) 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 entitlement of the individual to 
outpatient dental services and treatment, and related dental 
appliances, under such section 1712.
    ``(i) Regulations.--The dental insurance plan under this section 
shall be administered under such regulations as the Secretary shall 
prescribe.
    ``(j) Termination.--This section terminates on December 31, 
2021.''.
            (2) 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 plan for veterans and survivors and 
                            dependents of veterans.''.
    (b) Conforming Repeal.--
            (1) In general.--Section 510 of the Caregivers and Veterans 
        Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-163; 38 
        U.S.C. 1712 note) is repealed.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents for the 
        Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 is 
        amended by striking the item relating to section 510.
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