OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Baldwin and Colleagues Demand VA Step Up and Protect Veterans from Prescription Drug Abuse

Letter

Date: Dec. 15, 2023
Location: Washington, D.C.
Issues: Military Personnel Health and Health Care

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"We write today to discuss our concerns with the Department of Veterans Affairs' oversight of non-VA providers who prescribe opioids to veterans. In Fiscal Year 2022, the Department spent more than $27 billion in the community for health care services for veterans. VA must ensure the dollars it spends result in high-quality, safe care for veterans.

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It is clear VA and its contracted third-party administrators failed to do their due diligence in ensuring the health and safety of the veterans in their care…As stated many times before, we feel if there is an issue at one location, it will likely occur elsewhere. The Department must work not only to address the shortcomings outlined in these OIG reports but also to ensure lessons learned are implemented system-wide.

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It is the responsibility of VA to ensure the veterans in its care, or that of its community partners, are being provided high-quality care. We urge VA to act to ensure our nation's veterans are not put at risk when seeking care in the community…VA can outsource the work -- but it cannot outsource the responsibility for taking care of our veterans."


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