To amend title 38, United States Code, to require Department of Veterans Affairs pharmacies to dispense medications to veterans for prescriptions written by private health-care practitioners in the case of veterans who, after having made an appointment to see a Department of Veterans Affairs physician to obtain such a prescription, have been waiting for longer than 30 days, and for other purposes.

January 8, 2003

Mr. MICA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

To amend title 38, United States Code, to require Department of Veterans Affairs pharmacies to dispense medications to veterans for prescriptions written by private health-care practitioners in the case of veterans who, after having made an appointment to see a Department of Veterans Affairs physician to obtain such a prescription, have been waiting for longer than 30 days, 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 Prescription Drug Equity Act'

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PHARMACIES TO DISPENSE MEDICATIONS TO VETERANS ON PRESCRIPTIONS WRITTEN BY PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS.

(a) AUTHORITY- Section 1712(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by inserting `(1)' after `(d)'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

`(2)(A) In addition to drugs and medicines furnished under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall furnish to a qualifying veteran such drugs and medicines as may be ordered on prescription of a duly licensed physician or other health-care professional in the treatment of any illness or injury of the veteran.

`(B) A veteran is a qualifying veteran for purposes of this paragraph if--

`(i) the veteran has made an appointment to see a Department physician for the sole purpose of obtaining a prescription for drugs or medicines in the treatment of any illness or injury of the veteran; and

`(ii) a period of not less than 30 days has elapsed since the appointment was made without the veteran obtaining such a prescription.

`(C) Any prescription furnished under this paragraph is subject to section 1722A of this title.'.

(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS- (1) The heading of section 1712 of such title is amended by striking the sixth through ninth words.

(2) The item relating to section 1712 in the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by striking the sixth through ninth words.

END