V E TE R AN S AFFAI R S & M I LITARY M E D I CI N E O UTLO O K
INTERVIEW
VETERANS’ DENTAL CARE IN CONGRESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT
An interview with U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis By Gail Gourley n ONE ASPECT OF VETERANS’ HEALTH CARE receiving heightened attention involves dental care. A clear example of expanded congressional focus on this topic emerged at a recent hearing before the Health Subcommittee of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. During that September hearing, Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis, R-Fla., highlighted legislation he introduced in May 2019 in an ongoing effort to expand the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) existing dental care services to an increased number of veterans. The Veterans Early Treatment for Chronic Ailment Resurgence through Examinations Act of 2019 (H.R. 2628), or the VET CARE Act of 2019, would authorize administrative support for community providers of dental care and establish a pilot program providing dental services to 1,500 eligible enrolled veterans who currently receive no periodontal care. This pilot program would serve to determine whether there is a correlation between receiving these services and experiencing fewer complications of chronic ailments. Increasing evidence supports a link between periodontal disease and chronic conditions including cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes, and indicates it is a contributing risk factor in pregnancy for premature birth and/or low birthweight. While
Veterans Affairs & Military Medicine Outlook: Before discussing the details of the legislation that you introduced, how would you describe the current state of VA dental care for veterans? U.S. Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis: Well, it’s not adequate. This is [based on] hearing from veterans in my district, but veterans all over the country are having a very difficult time getting dental care. We do have several nonprofits in the Tampa Bay area, where I’m from, that help out veterans, and we actually partner with the dental association here in Pasco County. They see as many veterans as they possibly can, but it’s never enough. And right now, it’s very limited in what they can do, as far as who qualifies for
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the VA does provide outpatient dental services to certain eligible veterans as defined in Title 38 of the U.S. Code, eligibility requirements differ from those for most other VA medical benefits, resulting in many veterans receiving no dental care. At the Health Subcommittee hearing, Bilirakis said, “If we’re able to improve the VA health care system by providing preventive dental services that lead to fewer complications of chronic ailments, it not only shows that we are looking at the long-term outlook of our veterans’ health, but it could also prove to be done in a cost-effective manner. The VET CARE Act is a practical, commonsense way to demonstrate this approach for dental services, replicating already-established research in the community.” Bilirakis represents Florida’s 12th Congressional District. Elected in 2006, he serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. He is the ranking member of the Veterans’ Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee and a member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee. In the week prior to the Health Subcommittee hearing on H.R. 2628, Bilirakis spoke with Veterans Affairs & Military Medicine Outlook about the importance of the VET CARE Act of 2019 and expanding dental services for veterans.
dental care. You have to be 100 percent disabled, or a [former] POW [prisoner of war], or it has to be a service-connected [dental] injury, meaning if someone gets injured in the mouth during combat. It’s certainly not enough. You introduced the VET CARE Act of 2019 earlier this year. In broad terms, how do you hope to change things with this bill? First of all, our veterans deserve the dental care. And we want to prove to the VA that you can save money on the back end. If we treat these veterans, who are so worthy, then they won’t develop exacerbated health complications, in a lot of cases, including those associated
with diseases such as diabetes. A study was presented to me by a dentist in my area, [Zacharias Kalarickal, DDS], who knew a good friend from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. [Marjorie] Jeffcoat, [DMD], the former dean of the dental school. She conducted a study having to do with heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. We feel that we can make our point by passing this pilot project, and comparing those who have type 2 diabetes and receive dental care to those that have type 2 diabetes that do not receive dental care, proving that, in the long run, you can keep veterans with diabetes healthier if you provide preventative oral health care, and that treating their underlying diabetes is less
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