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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
A-Engrossed
House Bill 2559
Ordered by the House April 11
Including House Amendments dated April 11
Introduced and printed pursuant to House Rule 12.00. Presession filed (at the request of Governor Tina Kotek for
Department of Veterans’ Affairs)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability standards.
Digest: Allows the ODVA to use a benefits letter from the USDVA to see if a person can
get benefits. (Flesch Readability Score: 62.8).
[Digest: Defines the word that describes a condition in which a veteran is discharged or released.
(Flesch Readability Score:61.8).]
[Defines “honorable conditions” as related to the discharge or release of a veteran.]
Allows the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to use a summary of benefits letter from the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs when determining an applicant’s eligibility for
benefits or services that are offered by or through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to veterans; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 413.650.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. When determining an applicant’s eligibility for benefits or services that are
offered by or through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the department may use a sum-
mary of benefits letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
SECTION 2. ORS 413.650 is amended to read:
413.650. (1) As used in this section:
(a) “Dental care organization” means a prepaid managed care health services organization, as
defined in ORS 414.025, that provides dental care to members of a coordinated care organization.
(b) “Medical assistance” has the meaning given that term in ORS 414.025.
(c) “Veteran” means an individual who is a veteran, as defined in ORS 408.225, except the in-
dividual may be discharged or released under honorable or other than honorable conditions.
(2) The Veterans Dental Program is established in the Oregon Health Authority and shall be
administered in collaboration with the Department of Consumer and Business Services. The purpose
of the program is to provide oral health care to eligible veterans who are residing in Oregon.
(3) The authority shall contract with dental care organizations throughout this state and with
individual oral health care providers in areas of this state that are not served by dental care or-
ganizations to provide oral health care to veterans enrolled in the Veterans Dental Program.
(4) Enrollees in the Veterans Dental Program shall receive the types and extent of oral health
care services that the authority determines will be provided to medical assistance recipients in ac-
cordance with ORS 414.065, without any corresponding copayments, deductibles or cost sharing re-
quired.
(5) An individual is eligible for the Veterans Dental Program if the individual:
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 356 A-Eng. HB 2559
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(a) Is a resident of Oregon;
(b) Is ineligible for medical assistance;
(c) Has income that is at or below 400 percent of the federal poverty guidelines; and
(d) Is a veteran.
(6) The authority shall:
(a) Prescribe by rule a simple application process for the Veterans Dental Program.
(b) Provide assistance, in person or by telephone, to applicants for and enrollees in the program.
(c) Require and accept as verification of eligibility:
(A) Documentation demonstrating that an applicant’s income is at or below 400 percent of the
federal poverty guidelines[.]; and
(B)(i) An applicant’s federal DD Form 214 or 215; or
(ii) An applicant’s summary of benefits letter from the United States Department of
VeteransAffairs.
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