Should VA Healthcare Providers Share Info With State Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs? (H.R. 3832)

What is H.R. 3832?

(Updated February 18, 2019)

This bill ― the Veterans Opioid Abuse Prevention Act― would require Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare providers who prescribe controlled substances to veterans to seek information regarding veterans from state programs that monitor prescription drug use. The VA would be authorized to enter into a memorandum of understanding with a national network of state-based prescription drug monitoring programs to perform the queries.

Argument in favor

Increasing cooperation between the VA and states will help curb the prescription drug epidemic that is particularly harsh on veterans.

Argument opposed

This bill only addresses one issue with the health of American veterans and not the root cause of opioid addiction.

Impact

Veterans; states; and pharmaceutical companies.

Cost of H.R. 3832

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Congressman Neal Dunn (R-FL) introduced the Veterans Opioid Abuse Prevention Act (HR 3832) which seeks to connect Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health providers to a national network of state-based prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs).

The motive of this legislation is to track abuse patterns among veterans so as to curb the opioid abuse issue in America and beyond.

“This was in response to the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis,” a report issued in July, said Dunn, who served in the Army and is a House VA Committee member. “This is a good bill. I feel it’s going to get a lot of bipartisan support.”

Currently, there is no registry for “pain pills” prescribed to veterans, and this bill would make it easier to track whom was issued such medication that can be very addicting.

The bill is currently in the House VA Healthcare Subcommittee.

“More than 140 people in the U.S. die from opioid abuse each day, and veterans are twice as likely as civilians to die of overdose and suicide. This is unacceptable,” said Dr. Dunn.

The legislation is cosponsored by Reps Claudia Tenney, (R-NY); Bruce Poliquin (R-ME); Jody Arrington (R-TX); and Paul Tonko, (D-NY).

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Michael Dunn, (R-FL)  Press Release