A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor program using multiple prime vendors, and for other purposes.
Veterans Affairs Medical-Surgical Purchasing Stabilization Act This bill makes changes to the process by which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) procures certain medical, surgical, dental or laboratory supplies for its medical centers. Specifically, the bill requires the VA to (1) award contracts to multiple regional prime vendors instead of a single nationwide prime vendor, and (2) prohibit a prime vendor from solely designing the formulary (list of medicines covered) for such supplies. The VA shall ensure that VA employees who conduct formulary analyses or makes decisions about including items on the formulary have relevant medical expertise. Additionally, the VA shall provide Congress with periodic lists of such individuals and their medical expertise listed by categories of formulary items.
Congressional oversightDepartment of Veterans AffairsGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementHealth facilities and institutionsHealth technology, devices, suppliesPublic contracts and procurementSurgery and anesthesiaVeterans' medical care
A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out the Medical Surgical Prime Vendor program using multiple prime vendors, and for other purposes.
USA115th CongressS-3737| Senate
| Updated: 12/11/2018
Veterans Affairs Medical-Surgical Purchasing Stabilization Act This bill makes changes to the process by which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) procures certain medical, surgical, dental or laboratory supplies for its medical centers. Specifically, the bill requires the VA to (1) award contracts to multiple regional prime vendors instead of a single nationwide prime vendor, and (2) prohibit a prime vendor from solely designing the formulary (list of medicines covered) for such supplies. The VA shall ensure that VA employees who conduct formulary analyses or makes decisions about including items on the formulary have relevant medical expertise. Additionally, the VA shall provide Congress with periodic lists of such individuals and their medical expertise listed by categories of formulary items.
Congressional oversightDepartment of Veterans AffairsGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementHealth facilities and institutionsHealth technology, devices, suppliesPublic contracts and procurementSurgery and anesthesiaVeterans' medical care