DENTAL CARE FOR VETERANS

H. R. 914, a bill that would require the VA to treat dental care as the other medical specialties, was introduced on March 22, but unless it gets a lot more co-sponsors, it will die in committee, as did its predecessor bill in the 116th Congress.

S. 3017, Veteran Dental Care Eligibility Expansion and Enhancement Act., was introduced on Oct. 20, and it also needs co-sponsors.

Please contact your senators and congressmen to ask them to co-sponsor this important legislation. They may tell you that it would cost too much (as if to say that we’re not worth it), but point out that poor dental care is related to many other diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, COVID-19, and others, so what would be spent on dental care would be recouped by what would not have to be spent on treatment for their other illnesses, not to mention the pain and suffering that would be prevented.

Dental care was important when we were in uniform and the government needed us to be in top physical shape in order to perform our jobs, but now that the government feels that it no longer needs us, it tells us that this care is no longer important. If dental care is not important, then tell them to reject the dental care that the government provides for them.

When we were in uniform, we were accountable for getting the job done. The senators and congressmen are supposed to be working for us, so hold them accountable at election time. This is the best chance that we have ever had of making dental care through the VA a reality.

Find your Representative at this link:
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

Find your Senator at this link:
https://www.senate.gov/senators/