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A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an independent review of the deaths of certain veterans by suicide, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressS-788| Senate 
| Updated: 3/30/2017
John McCain

John McCain

Republican Senator

Arizona

Veterans' Affairs Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Veteran Overmedication Prevention Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (or another private, not-for-profit entity with comparable expertise) to review the deaths of all covered veterans who died by suicide during the last five years. A "covered veteran" is any veteran who received VA hospital care or medical services during the five-year period preceding the veteran's death. The review shall include: the total numbers of veterans who died by a violent death or by an accidental death during such period; each veteran's age, gender, race, and ethnicity; a list of medications and substances prescribed to such veterans, as annotated on toxicology reports; a summary of medical diagnoses by VA physicians that led to such prescriptions in cases of anxiety and depressive disorders; the number of instances in which such a veteran was concurrently on multiple medications prescribed by VA physicians; the number of such veterans who were not taking any VA-prescribed medication; the percentage of such veterans treated for anxiety or depressive disorders who received a non-medication first-line treatment compared to the percentage who received medication only; the number of instances in which a non-medication first-line treatment was attempted and deemed ineffective, which led to prescribing medication; descriptions of how the VA determines and updates clinical practice guidelines for prescribing medications and of VA efforts to maintain appropriate staffing levels for mental health professionals; the percentage of such veterans with combat experience or related trauma; identification of VA medical facilities with markedly high prescription rates and suicide rates for treated veterans; an analysis of VA programs that collaborate with state Medicaid agencies and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; an analysis of VA medical center collaboration with medical examiners' offices or local jurisdictions to determine veteran mortality and cause of death; identification of a best practice model to collect and share veteran death certificate data; an assessment of any apparent patterns based on the review; and recommendations to improve the safety and well-being of veterans. The VA shall ensure that such data is compiled in a manner that allows it to be analyzed across all data fields for purposes of informing and updating VA clinical practice guidelines.
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Timeline
Mar 30, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Mar 30, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
May 25, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-2652
Introduced in House
  • March 30, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 30, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  • May 25, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-2652
    Introduced in House

Armed Forces and National Security

Related Bills

  • S 115-992: A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an independent review of the deaths of certain veterans by suicide, and for other purposes.
  • HR 115-2652: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an independent review of the deaths of certain veterans by suicide, and for other purposes.
  • HR 115-5531: To provide for a comprehensive, multifaceted approach to preventing and treating opioid addiction.
Department of Veterans AffairsDrug, alcohol, tobacco useDrug therapyDrug trafficking and controlled substancesFamily relationshipsGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsHealth facilities and institutionsHealth information and medical recordsHealth personnelHigher educationHospital careMarriage and family statusMedicaidMedical educationMedical researchMedical tests and diagnostic methodsMental healthNeurological disordersPrescription drugsVeterans' medical care

A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an independent review of the deaths of certain veterans by suicide, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressS-788| Senate 
| Updated: 3/30/2017
Veteran Overmedication Prevention Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (or another private, not-for-profit entity with comparable expertise) to review the deaths of all covered veterans who died by suicide during the last five years. A "covered veteran" is any veteran who received VA hospital care or medical services during the five-year period preceding the veteran's death. The review shall include: the total numbers of veterans who died by a violent death or by an accidental death during such period; each veteran's age, gender, race, and ethnicity; a list of medications and substances prescribed to such veterans, as annotated on toxicology reports; a summary of medical diagnoses by VA physicians that led to such prescriptions in cases of anxiety and depressive disorders; the number of instances in which such a veteran was concurrently on multiple medications prescribed by VA physicians; the number of such veterans who were not taking any VA-prescribed medication; the percentage of such veterans treated for anxiety or depressive disorders who received a non-medication first-line treatment compared to the percentage who received medication only; the number of instances in which a non-medication first-line treatment was attempted and deemed ineffective, which led to prescribing medication; descriptions of how the VA determines and updates clinical practice guidelines for prescribing medications and of VA efforts to maintain appropriate staffing levels for mental health professionals; the percentage of such veterans with combat experience or related trauma; identification of VA medical facilities with markedly high prescription rates and suicide rates for treated veterans; an analysis of VA programs that collaborate with state Medicaid agencies and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; an analysis of VA medical center collaboration with medical examiners' offices or local jurisdictions to determine veteran mortality and cause of death; identification of a best practice model to collect and share veteran death certificate data; an assessment of any apparent patterns based on the review; and recommendations to improve the safety and well-being of veterans. The VA shall ensure that such data is compiled in a manner that allows it to be analyzed across all data fields for purposes of informing and updating VA clinical practice guidelines.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Mar 30, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Mar 30, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
May 25, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-2652
Introduced in House
  • March 30, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 30, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  • May 25, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-2652
    Introduced in House
John McCain

John McCain

Republican Senator

Arizona

Veterans' Affairs Committee

Armed Forces and National Security

Related Bills

  • S 115-992: A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an independent review of the deaths of certain veterans by suicide, and for other purposes.
  • HR 115-2652: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct an independent review of the deaths of certain veterans by suicide, and for other purposes.
  • HR 115-5531: To provide for a comprehensive, multifaceted approach to preventing and treating opioid addiction.
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Department of Veterans AffairsDrug, alcohol, tobacco useDrug therapyDrug trafficking and controlled substancesFamily relationshipsGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsHealth facilities and institutionsHealth information and medical recordsHealth personnelHigher educationHospital careMarriage and family statusMedicaidMedical educationMedical researchMedical tests and diagnostic methodsMental healthNeurological disordersPrescription drugsVeterans' medical care