To require that the Office of Personnel Management study current practices under which dental, vision, and hearing benefits are made available to Federal employees, annuitants, and other classes of individuals, and to require that the Office also present options and recommendations relating to how additional dental, vision, and hearing benefits could be made so available.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Tom Davis) in consideration of S. 2657, the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Benefits Enhancement Act of 2004.

Visual health and oral health are integral to our general health. Eye and oral diseases are progressive and become more complex over time. Our ability to eat, see, read, learn, and communicate all depends on good visual and oral health.

Periodic eye and dental examinations are an important part of routine preventive health care. Many visual and oral conditions present no obvious symptoms. Therefore, individuals are often unaware that problems exist.

There are safe and effective measures to prevent the most common eye and dental diseases, and that is why early diagnosis and treatment are important for maintaining good visual and oral health, and why a vision and dental benefit should be made available to Federal employees and annuitants.

We know that in 1987, the Office of Personnel Management stopped plans in the Federal health benefits program from adding new visual and dental packages. OPM did so for various reasons. However, that decision was made over 15 years ago, and it is time to take a fresh look at how we can meet the visual and oral health needs of Federal employees.

In the long run, preventive care through periodic examinations and doctor visits will help keep down long-term visual and dental costs due to early detection.

I am happy to support S. 2657 because it permits OPM to contract with qualified companies to offer dental and vision benefits to Federal employees and retirees under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.

Unfortunately, however, this bill does not include a provision that would require OPM to study the feasibility of providing hearing benefits to Federal benefits and retirees. Currently, over 28 million Americans suffer hearing loss, half of whom are under the age of 50. Hearing loss is not just a problem affecting adults. Thirty-three children are born every day with some form of hearing loss. With early detection and treatment, these children can be taught in regular classes, saving the school system as much as $500,000 during a 12-year education.

I included similar language in H.R. 3751, which passed the House in June. Like vision and dental benefits, most insurance plans do not provide hearing benefits, such as coverage for hearing aids.

To address this omission, the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) and I, along with the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Tom Davis) and the Senate sponsors of this bill, sent a letter to the Director of the office of OPM requesting that the agency assess current hearing benefits available to FEHBP participants and explore the feasibility of expanding hearing benefits to enrollees and their dependents.

Director James has already replied that such a study will be conducted and completed by September 30, 2005. I am pleased that we have received this commitment from OPM and look forward to reviewing the finished report.

I would urge my colleagues to support passage of Senate bill 2657.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

(Mr. MORAN of Virginia asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 2657) to amend part III of title 5, United States Code, to provide for the establishment of programs under which supplemental dental and vision benefits are made available to Federal employees, retirees, and their dependents, to expand the contracting authority of the Office of Personnel Management, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in strong support of S. 2657, the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Benefits Enhancement Act.

The Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan, FEHBP, is one of the Federal Government's most important tools as we seek to recruit and retain the best Federal workforce that this country has to offer. It covers over 8.6 million

individuals, including 2.2 million Federal and postal employees, 1.9 million Federal annuitants, and 4.5 million dependents; and offers the widest selection of health plans in the country, enabling enrollees to compare the costs, benefits, and features of different plans. However, this program will not remain a model for excellence in employer- provided health care coverage unless we continue to explore avenues to enhance the care and the choices provided.

Through the FEHBP, the Federal Government fulfills its responsibilities as an employer to contribute to health and well-being by providing comprehensive high-quality, affordable health care for its employees, while also providing an example and a model for improving the performance of the U.S. health care system as a whole. While a fine example for comprehensive care, the FEHBP currently offers minimal dental and vision benefits. Over 15 years ago, the Office of Personnel Management stopped allowing plans to add new dental and vision packages or to enhance packages they already had in place. As a result, the FEHBP has not kept pace in these areas, as an overwhelming majority of private sector plans provide dental and vision benefits.

In addition, there has been a groundswell among Federal employees and annuitants through numerous surveys and focus groups on this issue. More than any benefit, they want better coverage for dental and vision care. This will change with the passage of this important legislation.

The bill before us now will establish a voluntary, supplemental program under which Federal employees and annuitants may purchase dental and vision insurance as part of the FEHBP. This important legislation follows the design of the current long-term care insurance program whose premiums are wholly employee-funded, but allows the Federal Government to leverage its purchasing power to lower the cost of care in these areas.

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the efforts of my distinguished counterpart in the other body, the Senator from Maine, Ms. Collins. Senator Collins was instrumental in the drafting of this legislation. I commend her for her dedication on issues important to our Nation's civil service. I look forward to continuing to work with her on these important issues in the 109th Congress. I also thank my ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), and the ranking member of the subcommittee, my friend, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the bill,

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, visual health and oral health are integral to our general health, as the House well knows. Oral and eye diseases are progressive and become more complex over time. Our ability to eat, see, read, learn, and communicate all depend on good visual and oral health.

Periodic eye and dental examinations are an important part of routine preventive health care. Many visual and oral conditions present no obvious symptoms. Therefore, individuals often are unaware that such problems exist.

There are safe and effective measures to prevent the most common eye and dental diseases. That is why early diagnosis and treatment are important for maintaining good visual and oral health and why a vision and dental benefit should be made available to Federal employees and annuitants.

We know that in 1987 the Office of Personnel Management stopped plans in the Federal Health Benefits program from adding new vision and dental packages. OPM did so for various reasons. However, the decision was made over 15 years ago, and it is time to take a fresh look at how we can meet the visual and oral health needs of Federal employees.

In the long run, preventive care, through periodic examinations and doctor visits, will help keep down long-term vision and dental costs due to early detection.

To further improve the bill, during subcommittee consideration of H.R. 3751, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) offered an amendment requiring OPM to include glaucoma screening and hearing benefits in its study.

The amendment would require OPM to study the feasibility of providing hearing benefits to Federal employees and retirees. Currently, over 28 million Americans suffer hearing loss, half of whom are under the age of 50. Hearing loss is not just a problem affecting adults. Thirty- three children are born every day with some form of hearing loss. With early detection and treatment, these children can be taught in regular classes, saving a school system as much as half a billion dollars during a 12-year education.

Like vision and dental benefits, most insurance plans do not provide hearing benefits, such as coverage for hearing aids. We believe the Federal Government should consider taking a lead in this area.

In addition to hearing benefits, the gentleman from Illinois' (Mr. Davis) amendment required OPM to include

glaucoma screening in its study. This amendment was offered to better understand H.R. 3268, which was introduced by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings).

H.R. 3268 would extend the same glaucoma screening coverage provided by Medicare to Federal employees who are in high-risk populations.

The studies conducted by OPM under H.R. 3751 will go a long way in helping the Federal Government to craft a better dental, vision and hearing benefit for Federal employees.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, we had inserted similar language to this bill in the legislative branch appropriations bill that hopefully we will approve tonight as well. It addresses the fact that dental and vision needs are some of the most expensive out-of-pocket expenses. We will now have it available for Federal employees in the executive branch, as well as the legislative branch; this is a very important accomplishment of the Committee on Government Reform.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5295, the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Benefits Enhancement Act of 2004 and am proud to be a co-sponsor of this bill. As ranking member of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee, I was pleased to initiate efforts to establish a similar benefit for Members and congressional staff with House passage of the Fiscal 2005 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act (H.R. 4755). Combined, these two initiatives represent one of the most significant changes to health benefits under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan in recent years.

The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Benefits Enhancement Act would establish a voluntary program under which Federal employees, retirees and annuitants may purchase supplemental dental and vision coverage. The legislation grants the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) the authority to select the appropriate combination of nationwide and regional companies and a variety of benefit packages to meet the diverse needs of our Federal employee, retiree, and annuitant population.

Greater access to dental and vision care is an area where major improvement is needed and should be an essential component to any comprehensive health care strategy. Many Federal employees whom I hear from tell me that their greatest health care expenditures go towards dental and vision care. Federal employees need and deserve increased access to dental and vision benefits.

FEHBP has long been regarded as a model health care program. I am confident that with the addition of a supplementary dental and vision coverage program, the Federal government will set an example for other employers to expand their health care offerings to include dental and vision coverage for their employees. Additionally, I believe this new benefit will serve as a recruitment tool for the Federal government in attracting and keeping the best and the brightest in the government.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Davis on the Government Reform Committee for moving this important legislation, and I strongly support its adoption.

Mr. Speaker, visual health and oral health are integral to our general health. Eye and oral diseases are progressive and become more complex over time. Our ability to eat, see, read, learn, and communicate all depend on good visual and oral health.

Periodic eye and dental examinations are an important part of routine preventive health care. Many visual and oral conditions present no obvious symptoms. Therefore, individuals are often unaware that problems exist.

There are safe and effective measures to prevent the most common eye and dental diseases. That is why early diagnosis and treatment are important for maintaining good visual and oral health and why a vision and dental benefit should be made available to federal employees and annuitants.

We know that in 1987 the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) stopped plans in the Federal Health Benefits program from adding new vision and dental packages. OPM did so for various reasons. However, that decision was made over 15 years ago, and it is time to take a fresh look at how we can meet the visual and oral health needs of federal employees.

In the long run, preventive care, through periodic examinations and doctor visits, will help keep down long term vision and dental costs due to early detection.

Therefore, I am extremely pleased to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 5295, which permits OPM to contract with qualified companies to offer dental and vision benefits to federal employees and retirees under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.

I am also pleased that this bill includes a provision that requires OPM to study the feasibility of providing hearing benefits to federal employees and retirees. Currently, over 28 million Americans suffer hearing loss, half of whom are under the age of 50. Hearing loss is not just a problem affecting adults. Thirty-three children are born everyday with some form of hearing loss. With early detection and treatment, these children can be taught in regular classes, saving a school system as much as $500,000 during a 12-year education.

I included similar language in H.R. 3751, which passed the House in June. Like vision and dental benefits, most insurance plans do not provide hearing benefits, such as coverage for hearing aids. I believe the Federal Government should consider taking a lead in this area.

I urge my colleagues in the House to support this legislation.