Here's the article on this:
CALL TO ACTION: BILL WOULD GIVE DENTAL BENEFITS TO ALL DISABLED VETS -- Have your elected Representative
support H.R. 5595 which would give dental coverage to
all vets with at least a 10% service-connected rating.
Veterans with service-connected disabilities would get expanded dental coverage under bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Highland Park.
The "Make Our Veterans Smile Act" (House Resolution 5595) was co-introduced by Kirk and fellow Navy Reserve intelligence officer U.S. Rep. Chris Carney, D-Pa.
Currently, only 100 percent disabled, homeless or prisoner-of-war veterans are eligible for dental benefits. The bill, if signed into law, expands dental coverage to any service-connected disabled veteran, regardless of disability rating starting Jan. 1, 2009.
"We need to ensure that those who wore the uniform, risked their lives and sacrificed so much are appropriately cared for," Kirk said Thursday. "We won a great victory for area veterans when we saved the North Chicago VA Hospital from closing. But the commitment the government makes to help care for disabled veterans is incomplete without addressing their dental needs."
According to the Veterans Administration, 258,000 veterans currently are eligible for dental benefits. More than 2.5 million additional disabled veterans would receive coverage under the Kirk-Carney bill.
In Illinois, coverage would expand from nearly 5,000 veterans to more than 60,000 veterans, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Legislation is on Thomas, here... http://thomas.loc.gov/
Type in H.R. 5595.
Legislation printed below:
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Make Our Veterans Smile Act of 2008 (Introduced in House)
HR 5595 IH
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5595
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide dental care to veterans with service-connected disabilities, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 12, 2008
Mr. CARNEY (for himself and Mr. KIRK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide dental care to veterans with service-connected disabilities, 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Make Our Veterans Smile Act of 2008'.
SEC. 2. PROVISION OF DENTAL CARE BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO VETERANS WITH SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES.
(a) Provision of Care- Section 1712(a)(1)(G) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking `rated as total'.
(;) Authority To Provide Care by Entering Into Contracts- Section 1703(a)(7) of such title is amended by striking `section 1712(a)(1)(F)' and inserting `section 1712(a)(1)'.
© Effective Date- The amendments made by subsections (a) and (:) shall apply with respect to outpatient dental services and treatment, and related dental appliances, furnished on or after January 1, 2009.
Since this may be great for a lot of Veterans, I much would rather have a increase in the amount given to all Veterans since there are many Vets like me who have no teeth. Mine were all pulled before treatment for cancer. So just give me another 10-25% pay increase. Sgt D