[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12664-12665]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF VETERANS AND SURVIVORS DENTAL INSURANCE ACT OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE BUYER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 17, 2008

  Mr. BUYER. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the Veterans and 
Survivors Dental Insurance Act of 2008. This legislation would 
authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to offer a voluntary 
dental insurance plan for certain veterans, their survivors and 
dependents.
  Under current law, veterans with service-connected dental conditions, 
a total service-connected disability, and former Prisoners of War are 
eligible for lifetime, comprehensive dental care from VA. Newly 
discharged veterans are eligible for a one-time, comprehensive dental 
evaluation and restorative services. Additionally, veterans with dental 
problems negatively impacting a medical condition, disabled veterans 
receiving vocational rehabilitation training, and certain homeless 
veterans are eligible for limited dental care. VA also provides 
inpatient emergency dental treatment at its medical facilities.
  In 1997, Congress first authorized the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program 
(TRDP). As Chairman of the House Armed Services Military Personnel 
Subcommittee during the 105th and 106th Congresses, I helped champion 
the TRDP program. It is a voluntary, all-enrollee-paid dental program 
that currently covers over 800,000 retired members of the uniformed 
services, including National Guard and Reserve personnel, and their 
families. This program offers military retirees an affordable

[[Page 12665]]

comprehensive dental benefit program that covers diagnostic and 
preventive services, basic restorative services, periodontics, 
endodontics, oral surgery, and dental emergencies.
  Madam Speaker, this legislation would simply provide eligible 
veterans, survivors, and dependents the option of enrolling in a high-
quality and affordable dental care plan similar to what is available 
for military retirees under TRDP. I assure my colleagues that nothing 
in this Act would diminish the responsibility of the Secretary to 
provide dental care under current law. Eligibility for VA dental 
benefits according to law would not change.
  Important to overall health and quality of life is maintaining good 
dental health. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor the Veterans and 
Survivors Dental Insurance Act of 2008.

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