Bipartisan, MOAA-supported legislation that would provide dental care for Selected Reserve members at no out-of-pocket cost has been reintroduced in the House as a standalone bill, and the text has been included in the House version of the FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Reps. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) reintroduced the Dental Care for Our Troops Act, H.R. 4220, which would bring TRICARE dental coverage for Selected Reserve servicemembers in line with their active duty counterparts and establish a baseline benefit for all who wear the uniform. The dental health of Selected Reserve servicemembers is a readiness issue, and enhanced coverage would allow National Guard and Reserve members to maintain their dental readiness without incurring out-of-pocket costs.

[TAKE ACTION: Ask Your Lawmakers to Support the Dental Care for Our Troops Act]

The coverage would be for Reserve Component servicemembers only; their dependents still would be eligible to purchase coverage from the premium-based TRICARE Dental Program. TRICARE Dental Program coverage subsidized by DoD would remain a benefit unique to active duty dependents.

While MOAA supports enhanced dental and health care benefits for Reserve Component servicemembers, we recognize the recruiting landscape has shifted, creating new concerns about how expanded benefits for the National Guard and Reserve might impact active duty recruiting and retention. MOAA has also seen how past TRICARE eligibility expansions have led to proposals for TRICARE fee increases to control DoD health care spending.

MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), met with Rep. Kim to discuss these concerns. MOAA was encouraged by the lawmaker’s commitment to not only protect the current benefit and achieve a baseline level of coverage for all servicemembers, but also to ensure TRICARE provides a “gold standard” health care benefit for servicemembers, retirees, their families, and survivors.

[MOAA’S TRICARE TOOLKIT: TRICARE for Guard and Reserve]

TRICARE is a key component of the compensation and benefits package that has sustained the all-volunteer force, and protecting it is a top priority for MOAA. Access to affordable health care is essential to maintaining readiness. Our nation also has incurred an obligation to uniformed services retirees, and fulfilling commitments to those who have served a full career in uniform, and are now key influencers in the recruiting process, is not just an obligation but also critical to recruiting efforts.

We look forward to working with Rep. Kim to secure these goals and appreciate his efforts to support the uniformed services community in his role as ranking member of the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee.

Senate Version Introduced

A Senate companion bill (S.2046) was also introduced by Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). In a press release, Capito remarked on the link between dental care and readiness.

“Dental care in our National Guard and Reserve is a growing issue, keeping tens of thousands of troops from being able to deploy and serve our country,” she said. “I have heard firsthand how a lack of access to dental care affects military readiness, and this legislation helps provide the access to care our troops deserve and need.”

Please support dental care for reserve component servicemembers by contacting your elected officials today.