PREMIUM COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDICAL AND DENTAL INSURANCE PROGRAMS; EXTENSION OF DEADLINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF DENTAL INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR MILITARY RETIREES.

SEC. 733. PREMIUM COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDICAL AND DENTAL INSURANCE PROGRAMS; EXTENSION OF DEADLINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF DENTAL INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR MILITARY RETIREES. (a) Premium Collection For Selected Reserve Dental Insurance.—Paragraph (3) of section 1076b(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: “(3) The Secretary of Defense shall establish procedures for the collection of the member’s share of the premium for coverage by the dental insurance plan. To the maximum extent practicable, a member’s share shall be deducted and withheld from the basic pay payable to the member for inactive duty training or basic pay payable to the member for active duty (if pay is available to the member). Such share shall be used to pay the premium for coverage by the dental insurance plan.”. (b) Premium Collection For Retiree Dental Insurance Plan.—Paragraph (2) of section 1076c(c) of such title is amended to read as follows: “(2) The Secretary of Defense shall establish procedures for the collection of the premiums charged for coverage by the dental insurance plan. To the maximum extent practicable, the premiums payable by a member entitled to retired pay shall be deducted and withheld from the retired pay of the member (if pay is available to the member).”. (c) Report to Congress.—Not later than March 1, 1998, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report on the premium collection procedures established pursuant to paragraph (3) of section 1076b(b) of title 10, United States Code, and paragraph 111 STAT. 1813(2) of section 1076c(c) of such title. The report shall describe the extent to which premium collections are made under such paragraphs through deductions and withholding from pay. (d) Limitation on Implementation of Alternative Collection Procedures.—The Secretary of Defense may not implement procedures for collecting premiums under section 1076b(b)(3) of title 10, United States Code, or section 1076c(c)(2) of such title other than by deductions and withholding from pay until 120 days after the date that the Secretary submits a report to Congress describing the justifications for implementing such alternative procedures. (e) Extension of Deadline For Implementation of Dental Insurance Plan For Military Retirees.—Section 703(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 (Public Law 104–201; 110 Stat. 2590) is amended by striking “October 1, 1997” and inserting “April 1, 1998”.