Mercer Times

WASHINGTON D.C. – On June 20,Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) reintroduced his Dental Care for Our Troops Act that would provide no-cost TRICARE dental care for Guard and Reserve Servicemembers. He was inspired to write and introduce this bill last Congress after conversations he had with Guard and Reserve Servicemembers serving at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey.

“When I speak with members of the National Guard, Reserve, and military support organizations, they tell me that access to affordable dental care is a concern for them, and that dental issues are a top reason reservists are found unfit to deploy,” said Congressman Kim. “With this bill, we’re making sure that all National Guard and Reservists have access to premium-free TRICARE Dental coverage. Servicemembers sacrifice so much for us, and I’m proud to support providing these benefits they earn every single day.”

“Our men and women in the Reserve and National Guard components deserve the same healthcare and dental services that are provided to active-duty personnel and their families,” said Congressman Trent Kelly (MS-01). “It is an honor to be a lead cosponsor with Rep. Kim for this bipartisan legislation that is critical to military readiness.”

Dental Care for Our Troops is co-lead in the House by Congressman Trent Kelly, and in the Senate by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).

“Our National Guard and Reserve members make sacrifices every day to keep us safe, and yet too many of them struggle to access health care – and that includes dental care. By providing these benefits, our service members will lead healthier lives, improve their readiness for deployment, and devote more time to valuable training,” said Senator Baldwin. “Providing all service members with the dental coverage they deserve is not only an investment in our national security, it is also the right thing to do.”

“All who serve in our Armed Forces deserve the same high quality dental care—including our National Guard and Reserves,” said Senator Blumenthal. “They should never have to pay out of pocket for dental care afforded to active duty servicemembers. Our legislation closes an egregious health care gap, and invests in military readiness.”

This bill is one of Congressman Kim’s top priorities for the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that will be considered by the House Armed Services Committee later this week.

Dental Care for Our Troops is endorsed by MOAA, the Association of the United States Army, VoteVets, the Reserve Organization of America, the Naval Enlisted Reserve Association and the National Guard Association of the United States.

You can find a summary of the Dental Care for Our Troops Act here.

“The Reserve Organization of America thanks Rep. Andy Kim for his leadership on sustained medical readiness for the total force,” said ROA’s executive director, retired Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Phillips. “The increasing operational tempo of our reserve components demands readiness. Reserve and National Guard troops expected to be ready to “fight tonight” must have 24/7/365 military-grade government healthcare to avoid gaps with civilian health care – and some 130,000 have no civilian care! The Healthcare for Our Troops Act would greatly enhance the readiness of our Reserve and Guard, and thus directly enhance national security. ROA urges members of the 118th Congress to support The Healthcare for Our Troops Act.”

The Dental Care for Our Troops Act was introduced alongside Congressman Kim’s larger bill, the Healthcare for Our Troops Act, which would ensure all members of the Guard and Reserve have access to no-fee healthcare like active-duty servicemembers do, even when they are not on active status. Healthcare for Our Troops was introduced with Congressman Kelly.

Congressman Kim is the Ranking Member on the Military Personnel Subcommittee, and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the Select Committee on China. More information about Congressman Kim’s accessibility, his work serving New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District, and information on newsletters and his monthly town halls can be found on his website by clicking here.

Original source can be found here