115th CONGRESS 1st Session |
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish dental care in the same manner as any other medical service, and for other purposes.
December 5, 2017
Ms. Shea-Porter introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish dental care in the same manner as any other medical service, 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. Requirement that Secretary of Veterans Affairs furnish dental care in the same manner as any other medical service.
(1) IN GENERAL.—Title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(A) in section 1701(6), by striking “as described in sections 1710 and 1712 of this title”;
(B) in section 1710(c), by striking the second sentence;
(i) by striking subsections (a) and (b);
(ii) by redesignating subsections (c), (d), (e), and (f) as subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d), respectively; and
(iii) in subsection (a), as redesignated by subparagraph (B)—
(I) by striking “Dental appliances” and inserting “The Secretary may furnish dentures, dental appliances”; and
(II) by striking “to be furnished by the Secretary under this section may be procured by the Secretary” and inserting “under this section and may procure such appliances”; and
(D) by striking section 2062.
(2) PHASED ELIGIBILITY.—The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall apply as follows:
(A) In the case of an individual who is eligible for dental services and appliances furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, on the date of the enactment of this Act, beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.
(B) In the case of a veteran who is not so eligible on the date of the enactment of this Act and who is described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of section 1705 of such title, beginning on the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(C) In the case of a veteran who is not so eligible on the date of the enactment of this Act and who is described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection (a) of section 1705 of such title, beginning on the date that is two years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(D) In the case of a veteran who is not so eligible on the date of the enactment of this Act and who is described in paragraph (5) or (6) of subsection (a) of section 1705 of such title, beginning on the date that is three years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(E) In the case of a veteran who is not so eligible on the date of the enactment of this Act and who is described in paragraph (7) or (8) of subsection (a) of section 1705 of such title, beginning on the date that is four years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b) Conforming amendments.—Title 38, United States Code, is further amended—
(1) in section 1525(a), by striking “medicines under section 1712(d)” and inserting “medicines under section 1712(b)”; and
(2) in section 1703(a)(7), by striking “, for a veteran described in section 1712(a)(1)(F) of this title”.
(c) Clerical amendments.—Such title is further amended—
(1) in section 1712, in the heading for such section, by striking “Dental care” and inserting “Appliances”;
(2) in the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17, by striking the item relating to section 1712 and inserting the following new item:
“1712. Appliances; drugs and medicines for certain disabled veterans; vaccines.”;
and
(3) in the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 20, by striking the item relating to section 2062.