To amend title 38, United States Code, to permit Department of Veterans Affairs pharmacies to dispense medications on prescriptions written by private practitioners to veterans who are currently awaiting their first appointment with the Department for medical care, and for other purposes.

May 22, 2003

Mr. KERRY (for himself and Mr. HARKIN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

To amend title 38, United States Code, to permit Department of Veterans Affairs pharmacies to dispense medications on prescriptions written by private practitioners to veterans who are currently awaiting their first appointment with the Department for medical care, 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 Reform Act of 2003'.

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

(a) AUTHORITY TO DISPENSE MEDICATIONS TO CERTAIN VETERANS- Section 1712 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and

(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsection (e):

`(e)(1) The Secretary may authorize the pharmacies of the Department to dispense medications to a veteran described in paragraph (2) pursuant to a valid prescription of the veteran written by a private practitioner.

`(2) A veteran described in this paragraph is any veteran who is on a waiting list for such veteran's first appointment with the Department for medical services as of the date of the enactment of this section.

`(3) A veteran dispensed a medication under this subsection shall pay the Secretary an amount for such medication determined in accordance with the provisions of section 1722A(a) of this title.

`(4) Any amounts paid under paragraph (3) shall be deposited in the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Care Collections Fund.'.

(b) DEPOSIT OF COLLECTIONS- Section 1729A(b) of such title is amended--

(1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (8) as paragraphs (5) through (9), respectively; and

(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new paragraph (4):

`(4) Section 1712(e) of this title.'.

(c) REPORT- (1) Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the exercise by the Secretary of the authority provided in subsection (e) of section 1712 of title 38, United States Code (as amended by subsection (a) of this section).

(2) The report shall include--

(A) a description of the exercise of the authority by the Secretary; and

(B) such recommendations for additional legislative or administrative action with respect to the authority as the Secretary considers appropriate in light of the exercise of the authority.

END