[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6122 Introduced in House (IH)]

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110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6122

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a 
comprehensive policy on the management of pain experienced by veterans 
    enrolled for health care services provided by the Department of 
               Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 21, 2008

Mr. Walz of Minnesota (for himself, Mr. Filner, Mr. Loebsack, Mr. Hall 
   of New York, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota, Mr. Ellison, Mr. Brady of 
   Pennsylvania, Mrs. Boyda of Kansas, Mrs. Capps, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. 
Michaud, Mr. Kagen, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Hare, Mr. 
  Oberstar, and Mr. Ramstad) introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop and implement a 
comprehensive policy on the management of pain experienced by veterans 
    enrolled for health care services provided by the Department of 
               Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Pain Care Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE POLICY ON PAIN MANAGEMENT.

    (a) Comprehensive Policy Required.--Not later than October 1, 2008, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop and implement a 
comprehensive policy on the management of pain experienced by veterans 
enrolled for health care services provided by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.
    (b) Scope of Policy.--The policy required by subsection (a) shall 
cover each of the following:
            (1) The departmentwide management of acute and chronic pain 
        experienced by veterans.
            (2) The standard of care for pain management to be used 
        throughout the Department.
            (3) The consistent application of pain assessments to be 
        used throughout the Department.
            (4) The assurance of prompt and appropriate pain care 
        treatment and management by the Department, systemwide, when 
        medically necessary.
            (5) The Department's program of research related to acute 
        and chronic pain suffered by veterans, including pain 
        attributable to central and peripheral nervous system damage 
        characteristic of injuries incurred in modern warfare.
            (6) The Department's program of pain care education and 
        training for health care personnel of the Department.
            (7) The Department's program of patient education for 
        veterans suffering from acute or chronic pain and their 
        families.
    (c) Updates.--The Secretary shall revise the policy developed under 
subsection (a) on a periodic basis in accordance with experience and 
evolving best practice guidelines.
    (d) Consultation.--The Secretary shall develop the policy developed 
under subsection (a), and revise such policy under subsection (c), in 
consultation with veterans service organizations and other 
organizations with expertise in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, 
and management of pain.
    (e) Annual Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the completion and initial implementation of the policy under 
        subsection (a) and on October 1 of every fiscal year thereafter 
        through fiscal year 2018, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        Committee on Vererans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee 
        on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report 
        on the implementation of the policy developed under subsection 
        (a).
            (2) Contents.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) A description of the policy developed and 
                implemented under subsection (a) and any revisions to 
                such policy under subsection (c).
                    (B) A description of the performance measures used 
                to determine the effectiveness of such policy in 
                improving pain care for veterans systemwide.
                    (C) An assessment of the adequacy of the 
                Department's pain management services based on a survey 
                of patients managed in Department clinics.
                    (D) An assessment of the Department's research 
                programs relevant to the treatment of the types of 
                acute and chronic pain suffered by veterans.
                    (E) An assessment of the training provided to 
                Department health care personnel with respect to the 
                diagnosis, treatment, and management of acute and 
                chronic pain.
                    (F) An assessment of the Department's pain care 
                related patient education programs.
    (f) Veterans Service Organization Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``veterans service organization'' means any organization 
recognized by the Secretary for the representation of veterans under 
section 5902 of title 38, United States Code.

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