S. 3209: Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation for Veterans Act (119th Congress) Bill Summary

This bill is titled the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation for Veterans Act, or the NOPAIN for Veterans Act. The primary purpose of the bill is to change how non-opioid pain medications are managed and made available to veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Key Provisions

Inclusion in National Formulary:
The bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include certain non-opioid pain management drugs or biological products in the VA's national formulary. This formulary is essentially a list of medications that the VA will provide to veterans.
Definition of Non-Opioid Pain Management Drug:
It specifies what a non-opioid pain management drug or biological product is: it refers to drugs that are FDA-approved for reducing postoperative pain, providing postsurgical or regional analgesia, or treating acute pain without affecting the body's opioid receptors.
Timelines for Inclusion:
The bill sets timelines for when these non-opioid medications must be added to the national formulary. Specifically, it states that the Secretary must include a new non-opioid pain management drug within:
- One year after the drug becomes eligible for certain payment types under the Social Security Act or related regulations, or
- 18 months after the drug is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Budget Limitation:
It also states that funding from the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund cannot be used to implement the amendments made by this bill.
Implementation Timeline:
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required to start implementing these changes within 90 days from the date the bill is enacted.

Overall, this bill aims to enhance the options available for treating pain in veterans while reducing reliance on opioid medications, which have been linked to addiction and other significant health issues.