{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.baldwin.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-introduce-bipartisan-va-reform-to-strengthen-opioid-safety", "Senators Baldwin, Capito, Moran, Manchin, Blumenthal and Tester Introduce Bipartisan VA Reform to Strengthen Opioid Safety in the VA Choice Program", "2017-11-15", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "WI", "Tammy Baldwin", "B001230", "www.baldwin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "11.15.17\n\t\t\t Senators Baldwin, Capito, Moran, Manchin, Blumenthal and Tester Introduce Bipartisan VA Reform to Strengthen Opioid Safety in the VA Choice Program \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Jon Tester (D-MT) introduced bipartisan VA reform legislation, the Andrew White Veterans Community Care Opioid Safety Act, to strengthen opioid therapy safety and pain care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) community care programs, including through the VA Choice program.\r\nTo improve opioid safety and care for our veterans, Congress passed legislation introduced by Senators Baldwin and Capito, the Jason Simcakoski Memorial and Promise Act in 2016, \u201cJason\u2019s Law,\u201d to strengthen VA\u2019s opioid prescribing guidelines, put in place stronger oversight and accountability, and provide safer and more effective pain management services for our nation\u2019s veterans.\r\nWhile VA has made progress increasing opioid safety and reducing overprescribing within the VA health care system through Jason\u2019s Law, recent reports have found that veterans receiving opioid therapy from community care providers, including through the VA Choice program, are at a significant risk.\r\nA July 2017 VA Office of Inspector General report on opioid prescribing in VA community care programs found that contract providers are not subject to many of the opioid safety reforms included in Jason\u2019s Law and implemented at VA. Specifically, community care providers are not aware of and thus, not complying with, VA opioid therapy and safe prescribing protocols. Furthermore, VA is not consistently tracking opioid prescriptions from community care programs due to significant information exchange gaps between VA and non-VA providers.\r\n\u201cOur family is supporting the bipartisan bill that Senator Baldwin is putting forward to address the Inspector General\u2019s report from July that shows veterans receiving care outside the VA don\u2019t have the same opioid prescribing and monitoring guidelines that Jason\u2019s Law requires inside the VA,\u201d said Marv Simcakoski, Jason\u2019s father. \u201cWe need to stay vigilant and I am going to work my hardest to see that this legislation also gets across the finish line.\u201d\r\n\u201cLast year, we successfully passed bipartisan VA reform legislation named in honor of Jason to strengthen opioid prescribing guidelines at VA facilities, and put in place stronger oversight and accountability.\u201d said Senator Baldwin. \u201cNow, we are continuing to build on that progress to help give every veteran access to the same safe care, regardless of where they seek services.\u201d\r\n\u201cJason\u2019s Law was a significant step in preventing opioid overprescribing at the VA and holding VA officials and health care professionals accountable to the men and women who have selflessly served our country. However, it has become clear that more can be done to prevent addiction and opioid abuse among our veterans served by community care providers,\u201d Senator Capito said. \u201cThis legislation will help ensure the health and well-being of all veterans seeking care\u2014veterans like Andrew White, a brave Marine and West Virginian who tragically lost his life after being overprescribed. I\u2019m proud to honor Andrew\u2019s memory with this bill and to continue such an important effort with Senator Baldwin.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe national opioid crisis disproportionately affects veterans and the VA\u2019s history in managing their chronic pain has led to avoidable over prescriptions, addiction and even death,\u201d said Senator Moran. \u201cThe bipartisan Andrew White Veterans Community Care Opioid Safety Act, will help the VA and our healthcare providers in the community share information that is important to the well-being of our veterans.\u201d\r\n\u201cBy working together, we can help prevent the over-medication of our veterans, whether they go to the VA or to their local doctors for their health care,\u201d said Senator Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee. \u201cVeterans deserve the very best health care, and this bill encourages safer pain management for them.\u201d\r\n\u201cAs a country, we owe our Veterans the best medical care available and that includes safely managing pain,\u201d Senator Manchin said. \u201cIn 2016, I was proud to join Senator Baldwin in passing the Jason Simcakoski Memorial and Promise Act in 2016, which strengthened VA opioid prescribing guidelines, and oversight and accountability. The Andrew White Veterans Community Care Opioid Safety Act is the next step to ensure that VA is not sending veterans out to irresponsible or reckless providers in the community who overprescribe opioids. I look forward to passing this legislation, which will safeguard the well-being and care of our nation\u2019s bravest men and women.\u201d\r\n\u201cFor many, the perilous path to opioid addiction starts in the doctor\u2019s office with a prescription pad. Veterans receiving treatment in the community through the VA Choice program should not run a higher risk of opioid addiction just by virtue of their healthcare provider,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal. \u201cThis bipartisan measure would strengthen accountability and oversight of prescribing practices in the Choice program. It\u2019s an easy fix that will save lives as we attempt to lessen the chokehold of these deadly drugs on communities across America.\u201d\r\nThe bipartisan Andrew White Veterans Community Care Opioid Safety Act would strengthen opioid therapy safety and pain care at VA community care programs by implementing the VA Inspector General\u2019s recommendations and extending targeted opioid safety reforms in Jason\u2019s Law to VA purchased care. This would ensure community care providers follow the same safe opioid prescribing standards and have access to the same up to date pain care information as VA practitioners to help guarantee that all of our veterans receive safe and high quality care in their communities.\r\nSpecifically, the Andrew White Veterans Community Care Opioid Safety Act would:\r\n \r\nDirect VA to provide critical health information, including a list of medications, as well as the latest opioid safety guidelines immediately to a non-VA provider when a veteran accesses services through a community care program to ensure the provider has the information needed to provide safe and effective care;\r\nRequire non-VA community care providers to review the updated VA/DOD safe opioid prescribing guidelines and Opioid Safety Initiative protocols prior to delivering care to a veteran;\r\nDirect non-VA community care providers to submit opioid medications they prescribe to a veteran to a VA pharmacy for dispensing and to ensure it is included in the VA database and the patient\u2019s medical record for tracking;\r\nEnsure that any veteran with an immediate medical need or who is unable to obtain the prescription at a VA pharmacy due travel distances or undue hardship may access it at another pharmacy, and directs their community care provider to notify and provide information on the prescription to VA;\r\nHold VA accountable by requiring compliance reports to Congress and ensures that VA can take action to protect veterans if a non-VA community care provider is not delivering safe or appropriate care.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.baldwin.senate.gov/press-releases/senators-introduce-bipartisan-va-reform-to-strengthen-opioid-safety"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3310592621564865, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}