No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes a pilot program, within one year of enactment, to improve access to dental services for eligible veterans in rural areas by reimbursing or contracting with community-based providers, including mobile clinics and no-cost dentistry days, and by conducting outreach. It requires the program in at least 10 rural locations across at least five states, defines eligibility for enrolled veterans unable to obtain VA dental care within access standards (with waivers for homeless veterans), prioritizes providers such as Federally Qualified Health Centers and rural health clinics, maintains a public provider directory, and covers specified outpatient services including examinations, cleanings, fillings, extractions, and dentures.
This section establishes an internal working group within the Department of Veterans Affairs to evaluate dental care access challenges for rural veterans. The group includes representatives from the Veterans Health Administration, the Office of Rural Health, other relevant VA offices, and community-based dental providers. It must assess service availability and barriers, identify mobile and community programs, evaluate coordination opportunities with community providers, and identify best practices for outreach and reimbursements under the pilot program in section 2. The group must submit findings to the Secretary within 18 months, who must consider them in implementing the pilot program and address related actions in the report required under section 4.
This section directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a report to the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs not later than three years after the pilot program under section 2 is established. The report must describe identified community-based dental providers, assess outreach effectiveness and access expansion under agreements (including veteran numbers served, service types, geographic areas, and costs), evaluate dental access barriers for veterans eligible under section 1712 of title 38, and detail actions taken in response to working group findings under section 3.
This section defines "no-cost dentistry day" as a scheduled event at which one or more community-based dental providers furnish dental services to veterans at no charge. It defines "rural area" as a census tract without a Rural-Urban Commuting Area code of 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 2.1, or 3.0. It defines "State" by reference to section 101(20) of title 38, United States Code.