Opioid Prevention, Organ Transplant Care Included in VA MISSION Act
WASHINGTON, DC – In a major move to improve health care for veterans, tonight the House will pass the John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka, and Samuel R. Johnson VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Networks Act of 2018 or the VA MISSION Act of 2018, which included two initiatives led by Dr. Neal Dunn (FL-02). The VA MISSION Act builds upon the success of the Choice Program by streamlining community care programs so a veteran can access care from a provider outside of the VA when they need to.
The VA MISSION Act includes language from two of Dr. Dunn’s VA bills. The VICTOR Act helps veterans seek life-saving transplant care closer to their home, and the Veterans Opioid Abuse Prevention Act, helps VA providers safely prescribe controlled substances by allowing the VA to access prescribing data through a nationwide sharing network of prescription drug monitoring systems.
Dr. Dunn spoke in support of the VA MISSION Act on the House floor yesterday.
The VA MISSION Act also removes the 30-day, 40-mile barrier under the Choice Program, giving veterans more options when seeking timely and quality healthcare. The bill also covers the Choice Program’s funding shortfall – which will ensure that veterans continue to receive care without interruption and the program does not run out of money between now and when this legislation is implemented. It is supported by 38 Veterans Service Organizations and stakeholders. The Senate is expected to take up the legislation in the coming weeks.