[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 24 (Monday, February 10, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2121-S2122]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DOMENICI:
  S. 336. A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to expand 
reimbursement for travel expenses of covered beneficiaries for 
specialty care in order to cover specialized dental care; to the 
Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to offer legislation 
entitled the ``Military Family Access to Dental Care Act.'' This 
legislation, while limited in its scope, will have a profound effect on 
the lives of our military service members and their families 
particularly those serving our country at remote rural bases.

[[Page S2122]]

  Current law provides reimbursement for military dependents who, when 
referred, must travel at least one-hundred miles to receive specialty 
health care. However, specialty dental care has not been interpreted 
within the scope of this provision. In a rural State like New Mexico, 
this exclusion has a real impact on quality of life.
  For example, a military dependent stationed at Cannon Air Force Base 
in eastern New Mexico is not able to receive periodontic or orthodontic 
care in nearby Clovis these specialties are simply not available. 
Instead, to receive such care, that dependent would have to travel 225 
miles to Albuquerque, 110 miles to Lubbock, Tx, or 104 miles to 
Amarillo often two or three times to alleviate a special dental 
problem. The cost of traveling these long distances can eat away at a 
military family's income and degrade their quality of life.
  The legislation I propose expands the scope of existing law to ensure 
that travel of at least one-hundred miles for referred specialty dental 
care is reimbursable. It is my firm belief that this small but 
practical bill can improve the lives of many military families, 
especially those assigned to bases in the West. What is more, it sends 
a signal to our military personnel and their families that we recognize 
the sacrifices they make for us and want to respond by addressing their 
needs whenever we can. I hope that my colleagues will join me in 
supporting this bill.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 336

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

     SECTION 1. REIMBURSEMENT OF COVERED BENEFICIARIES FOR CERTAIN 
                   TRAVEL EXPENSES RELATING TO SPECIALIZED DENTAL 
                   CARE.

       Section 1074i of title 10, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``(a) In General.--'' before ``In any 
     case''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(b) Specialty Care Providers.--For purposes of subsection 
     (a), the term `specialty care provider' includes a dental 
     specialist (including an oral surgeon, orthodontist, 
     prosthodontist, periodontist, endodontist, or pediatric 
     dentist).''.
                                 ______