VA announced today that it has selected Delta Dental of California and MetLife to once again offer private dental insurance plans as part of the VA Dental Insurance Program (VADIP).
The program was extended until Dec. 31, 2021, by the VA Dental Insurance Reauthorization Act of 2016.
“It is important to provide this care to eligible Veterans, especially those who need lower-cost insurance,” said VA secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin. “VADIP underscores our commitment to support America’s Veterans and their family members.”
Veterans enrolled in the VA health-care system and beneficiaries of the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the VA (CHAMPVA) can enroll in the program beginning Nov. 15, 2017, for coverage to start Dec. 1, 2017.
VADIP offers eligible individuals the opportunity to purchase discounted dental insurance coverage, including diagnostic services, preventive services, endodontic and other restorative services, surgical services and emergency services.
Individuals who enroll in one of the dental insurance plans will pay the entire premium in addition to the full cost of any copayments. Enrollment is voluntary and does not affect eligibility for VA outpatient dental services and treatment.
The plans are available to eligible individuals in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Delta Dental and MetLife previously offered insurance plans as part of the three-year VADIP pilot program. Coverage under the VADIP pilot began Jan. 1, 2013, and more than 115,000 Veterans and CHAMPVA beneficiaries enrolled in the program before it expired in January 2017. Individuals who enrolled in a plan during the pilot period must select and enroll in one of the new plans offered by Delta Dental or MetLife. While the insurance providers will remain the same, plan options, fees and other factors may have changed from those offered during the pilot.
For more information, visit www.va.gov/HEALTHBENEFITS/vadip/ or call 877-222-VETS (8387).
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I want to know why if my husband, who is 100% disabled, has access to free dental care and vision care at the Waco VA facility, I don’t have the same access. I am on ChampsVA insurance but we live from paycheck to paycheck and to purchase dental and vision insurance for me is financially out of the question, much less actually going to the dentist.
John:
My bad, I really wanted you to read this case. Hopefully the other case had something to cling too, but I really feel this one is the one I started reading and you should find interesting. OK, let me know!!!
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS
NO. 07-1570
J AMES E. NEELY, APPELLANT,
V.
ERIC K. SHINSEKI,
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, APPELLEE.
John:
Check this out, it might help you!! Let me know!
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS
NO. 10-3755
ARVELE GREEN, APPELLANT,
V.
ERIC K. SHINSEKI,
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, APPELLEE.
John, I have not checked myself, but it would seem to be a service connected disability if you can show that the teeth that was filled in the service are now causing you problems. That seem to me to be a service connected disability and I have no legal argument for this issue, just common-sense thinking. However, when I get a chance, I will see what I can find here: http://www.uscourts.cavc.gov/
My husband is a veteran and has the MetLife dental coverage. He has not been notified of any changes, and hasn’t been told of having to select a new plan Nov 15th(which is only about a month away). When I log into his MetLife account, there is no mention that he has to choose a new plan. What’s the deal? Why haven’t vets been told about this? I can see Nov 15th coming around and us losing coverage because of this!
I totally agree about Dental being a part of what benefits should be for a veteran. All of the fillings that the military put in my mouth are now a problem and the VA won’t cover dental unless it was service related.
If VA can’t offer the dental care free, it can have copay as we all know how important dental care is? Let us not have the vets sit there with all the bacteria in their mouth that can cause heart disease and host of other problems.
I agree that we should not have to pay any deductible for this coverage, but at least it’s a step in the right direction!
When a person retires from military service or has a service connected disability they should be given free dental
care, if not, ?
I agree with the above comment, dental care should be provided to disabled Veterans, why is it excluded? I am sure our elected representatives do not have to have extra insurance or co-pays and except for costly junkets to exotic places have never been away from home.
I’am a Vietnam veteran , separated from military in June of 1971. I’am 80% disabled from Vietnam war.
Diabetes is one of my conditions. What I would like to know is , am I eligible to have my teeth removed and have implants put in. I’am missing several teeth in the back and my front teeth are crumbling and look awful. I really dislike being in public looking that way. It is totally embarrassing. I’ve been told agent orange is the cause of my having diabetes and that my teeth will be affected. I have tried partials with my own money , and it just hurts my gums to much. I don’t even use them.
Please help me , it will be so nice to open my mouth and not be embarrassed.
Thank you , Alan J. Womack Lebanon Oregon
WHY CAN’T DENTAL CARE BE OFFERED FREE TO ALL OUR VETS, THRU THE OUT PATIENT PROGRAM, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY ANY PERSON WHO SERVES THIS COUNTRY HAS TO PAY EVEN AT A LOW COST PREMIUM, FOR ANY DENTAL . IT IS A SIMPLE BASIC SERVICE THAT OUR VETERANS DESERVE….
VA should provide provide this benefit through the local YMCA This would allow almost every veteran to use this benefit. I know my disable husband would love to use this benefit in Greenville SC.
Have been paying for the dental all year, never notified it stopped in January. Why not? This is almost 10 months later. Couldn’t afford to go this year but have paid in over $200 so far this year.
Dear Dawne
The program was extended to cover current enrollees of the program through this year so your money was not wasted. The program was just not able to accept new enrollees since January 1. So you still have dental coverage through the plan you selected – hope you have taken advantage of your 2 routine exams this year. You will need to select one of the “new” plans when they go into effect beginning November 15, 2017.
28Sept.2017 Build an Olympic Size Swimming Pool in Roane County Tennessee (Harriman, Rockwood, Kingston, Midtown Areas)
There are over 9,000 Veterans in this one area and a lot are older Crippled Vets who can’t Walk or Run , but who can swim.
Thank You.
MN1 Robert Briggs USN Retired &Vietnam Veteran
Harriman,TN