Bill Overview
Title: Dental Care for Our Troops Act
Description: This bill allows the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a premium-free dental plan for members of the Selected Reserve. Participants in this dental plan may not be charged copays for services covered by the plan. (Current law requires DOD to offer a dental plan to members of the Selected Reserve, but the plan has premiums and copays.)
Sponsors: Rep. Kim, Andy [D-NJ-3]
Target Audience
Population: Members of the Selected Reserve in the U.S. Armed Forces
Estimated Size: 780000
- The Selected Reserve is a part of the Ready Reserve of reserve component members of the Armed Forces.
- The Selected Reserve includes units and individuals considered essential to wartime missions, with personnel typically receiving extensive training.
- According to DOD data, there are approximately 800,000 personnel in the Selected Reserve across various branches of the U.S. military.
- These personnel are distributed globally, although a significant portion reside in the United States as they are part of national defense.
Reasoning
- The Selected Reserve workforce is relatively small compared to the entire U.S. population, so we must focus primarily on individuals linked to this group, such as the service members and their families.
- Many personnel of the Selected Reserve might already have dental care coverage through their military service or civilian employment, so the policy's immediate impact could vary.
- The budget constraints suggest that not all costs associated with dental care will be covered indefinitely, meaning long-term impacts might be mitigated by adjustments in the budget or program guidelines over time.
- Individuals outside the Selected Reserve, even in military-connected communities, may not directly benefit from this policy unless they have reserve members in their families.
- Opinions might differ based on personal health priorities and experiences with military dental care services in the past.
Simulated Interviews
Reservist (San Diego, California)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a reservist, having dental care covered without the extra costs is a huge relief.
- It reduces my family's expenses considerably, allowing us to reallocate our budget to other needs.
- I hope this policy stays in place for a long time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Reservist; Dental Assistant (Fort Worth, Texas)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone who works in dental health, I understand the importance of such coverage, but since I get dental care benefits through my employer, it doesn't impact me as much directly.
- It's admirable because many of my fellow reservists don't have these benefits.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Veteran, now working as a contractor (Richmond, Virginia)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is great for current reservists, but as a veteran, I'm disappointed I no longer qualify.
- Dental health has been challenging for me post-service, so any help would have been appreciated.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Reservist, with a full-time civilian job in healthcare (Anchorage, Alaska)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy feels reassuring as it's one less worry regarding healthcare expenses.
- Being in Alaska, accessing affordable dental services can be tricky, so this policy is quite helpful.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Student, ROTC participant (Burlington, Vermont)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy makes joining the reserves even more attractive for someone like me who's exploring military service.
- Dental care is often overlooked but having it addressed without cost is a significant benefit.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Reservist; works in logistics (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm grateful for the policy, especially since I'm getting closer to retiring and need to save for healthcare costs post-service.
- Been using dental services a lot lately, so this makes a difference.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Reservist, part-time sales manager (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- For my family, dental coverage was already secured through my wife's job, so it's beneficial but not a life-changer.
- Good for those without dual employment benefits though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
School teacher, was active reservist (Columbus, Ohio)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm glad my husband, who's still in the reserves, will benefit from this policy.
- It eases our overall healthcare budget, which as a teacher, I can appreciate.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Reservist; IT specialist (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As much as I think the policy is great, my existing benefits through work already cover my dental needs very well.
- It's good for those without such perks though.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Retired; former reservist (Miami, Florida)
Age: 60 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy is a promising initiative for those still serving.
- As a retired individual, it would have been nice to have that kind of support during my service years.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $234000000 (Low: $190000000, High: $290000000)
Year 2: $240000000 (Low: $194000000, High: $298000000)
Year 3: $246000000 (Low: $198000000, High: $306000000)
Year 5: $260000000 (Low: $210000000, High: $324000000)
Year 10: $290000000 (Low: $235000000, High: $360000000)
Year 100: $700000000 (Low: $560000000, High: $900000000)
Key Considerations
- Expansion of benefits without copays could increase usage and costs.
- Lack of premiums and copays might necessitate higher government funding.
- The initiative broadly aligns with policy goals of improving service member readiness and health.
- Potential pushback from fiscal conservatives regarding additional costs.