To improve the provision of health care furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans diagnosed with diabetes and heart disease, and for other purposes.
This bill establishes a four-year pilot program requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide comprehensive dental care to veterans diagnosed with diabetes or ischemic heart disease, starting no later than one year after enactment. The dental services will be offered at VA medical centers and community-based outpatient clinics with existing dental facilities, and the bill directs the VA to test innovative delivery methods including mobile dental clinics, home-based portable units, dental therapists, and teledentistry to reach rural veterans. To support the program, the bill creates a student loan repayment program offering up to $100,000 for dentists, $25,000 for dental hygienists, and $40,000 for oral surgeons who commit to working at VA facilities for at least the duration of the pilot program. The VA must report to Congress 90 days before and 180 days after the pilot concludes with detailed analyses of costs, patient outcomes, and recommendations for expanding dental care to all eligible veterans. The bill authorizes unspecified funding for fiscal year 2024, with appropriated funds available for obligation over an eight-year period beginning one year after enactment.
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