WC Wisconsin News

Today, Congressmen Derrick Van Orden and Greg Landsman introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at increasing veterans' access to non-opioid pain medications. The proposed legislation, known as the NOPAIN for Veterans Act, seeks to reform how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers and covers non-opioid pain management drugs.

The NOPAIN for Veterans Act mandates that the VA list and cover all non-opioid pain management drugs under its pharmacy benefits. It also requires these drugs to be included on the VA Drug Standardization List, ensuring they are not substituted with alternatives.

"Veterans deserve the best care possible, and that does not include getting them addicted to opioids with overly aggressive pain management treatments," said Rep. Van Orden. "The men and women who have bravely served our nation deserve better. That is why I am proud to join Congressman Landsman in introducing the NOPAIN for Veterans Act so veterans can access safe, effective treatments that provide relief without running the risks associated with opioid prescriptions."

Rep. Landsman added, "By making non-opioid pain management options more affordable and available to veterans, we can take a big step in preventing addiction and substance abuse. These lists will provide safer alternatives, prioritize the health of veterans, and contribute to the overall effort of ending the opioid epidemic."

Chris Fox, Executive Director of Voices for Non-Opioid Choices, expressed support for the bill: "Voices believes that all patients in all settings should be afforded access to all FDA-approved and clinically appropriate non-opioids. This is especially true for those who so bravely served this country in our military. We must do better by them and, when it comes to pain management, it means that they deserve access to the full suite of non-addictive pain management options."