[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 372 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 372

  To provide for a pilot program to be conducted by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to assess the benefits of providing for pharmacies of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs to fill prescriptions for drugs and 
                medicines written by private physicians.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 27, 2003

  Mr. Lynch introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide for a pilot program to be conducted by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to assess the benefits of providing for pharmacies of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs to fill prescriptions for drugs and 
                medicines written by private physicians.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PILOT PROGRAM FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PHARMACIES 
              TO DISPENSE MEDICATIONS TO VETERANS ON PRESCRIPTIONS 
              WRITTEN BY PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS.

    (a) Pilot Program.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct 
a pilot program to assess the advantages and disadvantages of 
furnishing to veterans through Department of Veterans Affairs 
pharmacies drugs and medicines ordered on prescription of any duly 
licensed physician in the treatment of any illness or injury of a 
veteran.
    (b) Location of Pilot Program.--The pilot program shall be 
conducted through health-care facilities of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs located in the service region of the Veterans Health 
Administration designated as Veterans Integrated Service Network 1 
(``VISN 1'').
    (c) Duration of Program.--The pilot program shall be conducted 
during the two-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
    (d) Conduct of Program.--Under the pilot program, the Secretary 
shall provide for health-care facilities of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs in the area specified in subsection (b) to furnish to a veteran 
such drugs and medicines as may be ordered on prescription of a duly 
licensed physician in the treatment of any illness or injury of the 
veteran.
    (e) Required Copayment.--The furnishing of drugs and medicines 
under the pilot program shall be subject to the copayment requirement 
in section 1722A of title 38, United States Code.
    (f) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the end of the pilot 
program under this section, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report on the pilot program. The Secretary shall include in the report 
the following:
            (1) The Secretary's assessment of the benefits to veterans 
        of the pilot program.
            (2) The Secretary's assessment of the effect of the pilot 
        program on the Department of Veterans Affairs, including the 
        effect on delivery of health care to veterans.
            (3) Any other findings and conclusions of the Secretary 
        with respect to the pilot program.
            (4) Any recommendations of the Secretary for continuation 
        of the pilot program or for extension of the pilot program to 
        other service regions or to all service regions.
                                 <all>