THE ISSUE: Support the Healthcare for Our Troops Act, H.R. 4221, and the Dental Care for Our Troops Act, S. 2046 / H.R. 4420.
ACTION: Immediately notify your congressional delegation and ask them to support H.R. 4221, the Healthcare for Our Troops Act, introduced by Reps. Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Trent Kelly (R-MS) to provide zero-cost TRICARE health benefits to National Guard service members. Additionally, support S. 2046 / H.R. 4220, the Dental Care for Our Troops Act, introduced by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Reps. Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Trent Kelly (R-MS) to provide zero-cost dental for National Guard service members.
Please contact your member of Congress by filling out the form below and urge them to support H.R. 4221 and S. 2046 / H.R. 4220.
Background
NGAUS strongly supports H.R. 4221, the Healthcare for Our Troops Act, and S. 2046 / H.R. 4220, the Dental Care for Our Troops Act. These pieces of legislation would provide access to zero-cost TRICARE and dental care for Guard and Reserve service members. This change would waive premiums and co-pays within TRICARE for all members of the Reserve component. This legislation would also ensure all service members are ready to deploy and serve our country when called upon.
H.R. 4221 was introduced by Reps. Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Trent Kelly (R-MS) on June 20, 2023.
Service members are required to meet medical deployability requirements. An estimated 130,000 Guardsmen and Reservists do not have health insurance under the current disjointed system of third-party health contractors and Periodic Health Assessments (PHAs), which greatly impacts the Reserve component’s medical readiness. Inconsistent health care coverage for members of the Reserve component makes meeting these requirements difficult.
H.R. 4220 was introduced by Reps. Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Trent Kelly (R-MS). S. 2046 was introduced by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).
S. 2046 / H.R. 4220, the Dental Care for Our Troops Act, ensures service members meet the dental medical standards required of a deployable force at no cost to the individual. This change provides the Department of Defense with a powerful recruiting and retention tool and a significant employer incentive to retain talented individuals in gainful civilian employment.