Press Releases
Kuster, Walorski Lead Bipartisan Letter Calling on VA Clinicians to Check State Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs
Washington, DC,
October 30, 2019
Today, Representatives Annie Kuster (D-NH) and Jackie Walorski (R-IN) led a bipartisan group of 25 Members of Congress in calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide an update on their actions to ensure VA clinicians are complying with a law that aims to prevent overprescribing of opioids to veterans. The VA Prescription Data Accountability Act was introduced by Kuster in 2017, co-sponsored by Walorski, and enacted with bipartisan support. The legislation requires VA clinicians to check prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) for patients receiving opioid therapy. A recent report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that most VA clinicians are not adhering to the law and two-thirds of clinicians are unaware of the policy altogether. “In light of the nationwide epidemic of prescription drug abuse, which has had a significant impact on veterans, we firmly believe that PDMP databases have proven effective and are valuable tools in tracking the coordination of prescriptions, preventing drug abuse and diversion, and reducing doctor shopping,” wrote the members. “We request an update on the actions VA is taking to carry out the recommendations outlined in the OIG report in order to ensure that VA clinicians are in full compliance with the law and providing the level of care our veterans deserve.” PDMPs are statewide electronic databases that track controlled substance prescriptions. They can provide health authorities with up to date information about prescribing and patient behaviors that fuel the opioid epidemic and facilitate a smart, targeted response. Legislation introduced by Walorski, co-sponsored by Kuster, and passed into law in 2016 as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act requires VA to share information with state PDMPs in order to prevent overprescribing of opioids. The full text of the letter is available here and below: October 30, 2019 The Honorable Robert Wilkie Secretary U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20420 Dear Secretary Wilkie, As members of Congress who have been actively involved in crafting policy to prevent the overprescribing of opioids to veterans, we write with concern over a recent report (#18-02830-164) from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) that found most Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clinicians are not adhering to requirements to check state prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) for patients engaged with opioid therapy. Specifically, the report found that from April 1, 2017, through March 31, 2018, VA clinicians failed to check PDMP databases for 567,000 of the 779,000 VA patients who are currently undergoing treatment with opioids. It is estimated that 107,000 of the 567,000 patients for whom VA clinicians failed to make the required PDMP checks were at risk for opioid abuse or addiction due to poorly managed opioid treatment. Even more concerning, two-thirds of the 66 VA clinicians who were interviewed said they were unaware of the department policy regarding PDMPs, and only a quarter received training on PDMPs. As you are aware, Veterans Administration Medical Centers (VAMCs) previously had the option to voluntarily report data to PDMPs, but were not mandated to do so as are all other doctors and pharmacists. This created a glaring void in reporting that left veterans, already at an increased risk of abuse, even more vulnerable. In response to this situation, we worked together to enact legislation during the 114th Congress requiring the VA to report to state PDMPs. In light of the nationwide epidemic of prescription drug abuse, which has had a significant impact on veterans, we firmly believe that PDMP databases have proven effective and are valuable tools in tracking the coordination of prescriptions, preventing drug abuse and diversion, and reducing doctor shopping. We request an update on the actions VA is taking to carry out the recommendations outlined in the OIG report in order to ensure that VA clinicians are in full compliance with the law and providing the level of care our veterans deserve. If you have any questions, your staff can contact Stephen Simonetti at stephen.simonetti@mail.house.gov or 202-225-3915, or Melanie Spears at melanie.spears@mail.house.gov or 202-225-5206. We look forward to your response. Sincerely, Jackie Walorski Ann McLane Kuster Member of Congress Member of Congress James R. Baird Jim Banks Member of Congress Member of Congress Gus M. Bilirakis Lisa Blunt Rochester Member of Congress Member of Congress Susan W. Brooks Julia Brownley Member of Congress Member of Congress Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. Ted Deutch Member of Congress Member of Congress Bill Foster Ron Kind Member of Congress Member of Congress Conor Lamb Rick Larsen Member of Congress Member of Congress Susie Lee Tom O’Halleran Member of Congress Member of Congress Chris Pappas Collin C. Peterson Member of Congress Member of Congress Guy Reschenthaler Max Rose Member of Congress Member of Congress Mary Gay Scanlon Elise M. Stefanik Member of Congress Member of Congress David Trone Michael R. Turner Member of Congress Member of Congress Brad Wenstrup Member of Congress ### |