Rep. Julia Brownley has reintroduced a bill that would expand dental care eligibility for veterans.
Five notes:
1. The Dental Care for Veterans Act seeks to eliminate statutory eligibility restrictions for dental care under the Department of Veterans Affairs and make dental care part of the standard medical benefits package for all veterans, according to a Feb. 3 news release.
2. Eligibility for dental care under the VA is currently limited to veterans with a service-connected disability rated at 100%; veterans with a service-connected dental condition; former prisoners of war; homeless veterans; and veterans who have a dental condition that is aggravating a service-connected condition or complicates treatment of that condition.
3. The eligibility requirements have led to only a small fraction of veterans receiving dental care, about 534,000 out of 8.83 million VA enrollees, according to the news release. Additionally, only 80,000 veterans purchase coverage through the VA Dental Insurance Program.
4. The bill would also ensure healthcare providers are able to access veterans’ dental records through the VA’s electronic health records system.
5. The bill is backed by several organizations, including the American Legion, Modern Military Association of America, the Coalition of Veterans Organizations and Military Veterans Advocacy.
6. The Dental Care for Veterans Act was previously introduced in 2023.