VA Announces Plan to Expand Access to Dental Care

Legal Help for Veterans is a law firm helping veterans get the benefits they deserve.

Northville, MI (Law Firm Newswire) February 11, 2020 – The Department of Veterans Affairs submitted a waiver request and pilot program to Congress to expand access to dental care for veterans under Section 152 of the VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act of 2018 (MISSION Act).

Currently, the VA provides only limited dental care for veterans and many do not qualify for dental benefits. This makes it hard for the agency to facilitate. With this proposed program though, the VA would partner with community-based and pro bono dentists who would be willing to provide free or discounted dental care for veterans who cannot receive it through the VA.

“Under the MISSION Act, veterans are now able to be more in control of their own healthcare than ever before. While this is great, there is still room for improvement,” said James G. Fausone, lead attorney at Legal Help for Veterans. “Access to dental care is severely compromised when the veterans who need it cannot afford to pay full price for it outside VA care providers.”

This proposal has been dubbed the Care Coordination for Dental Benefits demonstration project under the Community Provider Collaborations for Veterans Pilot Program. It is the first waiver request and pilot program submitted to Congress under this authority. Section 152 of the MISSION Act created the Center for Care and Payment Innovation, which experiments with ways to improve the quality and reduce the cost of veteran healthcare.

Under the plan, the VA would partner with the American Dental Association and Federally Qualified Health Centers to secure low cost or free of charge dental services to veterans all over the United States.

Oral health is essential for whole body wellness. Gum disease has been linked to heart disease, bacterial pneumonia and stroke. This proposal would be a step toward providing better care for veterans who need it.

Legal Help for Veterans is a veteran owned and run law firm in Northville, Michigan that specializes in VA disability claims. For more information, visit their website.