[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6000]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               ENHANCING VETERANS ACCESS TO TREATMENT ACT

  (Mr. MURPHY of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MURPHY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the 
Enhancing Veterans Access to Treatment Act, legislation that eliminates 
bureaucratic hurdles so veterans using the VA can continue to receive 
the same lifesaving mental health medication they access while on 
Active Duty.
  Currently, the VA requires a veteran to switch their medication when 
that drug is not included in the VA's drug formulary, regardless if the 
drug is working. Instead, the VA will put the veteran on different 
medication and requires them to fail first before they are switched 
back, or the vet must go through an appeals process to remain on the 
current medication.
  Instead, this bill simply says, if it works, keep it. This bill 
allows seamless continuity of medication and leaves any decision to 
change up to the doctor.
  It is not enough to just have the DOD and VA share a limited 
medication list, because when it comes to psychotropic medication, the 
doctor needs to have available the full spectrum of choices.
  With 22 veterans dying each day by suicide, these veterans don't have 
time to wait to get their medication for their depression or anxiety.
  I ask all Members to please join me in cosponsoring the Enhancing 
Veterans Access to Treatment Act so we can solve this problem.

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