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Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on VA Opioid Prescription Policies
Record date · January 1, 2016
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What This Bill Does
This document is a transcript of a 2015 Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs hearing regarding the policies and practices of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) concerning opioid prescriptions. The hearing focused on addressing concerns about over-prescription and improving patient safety for veterans.
The hearing examines how the VA manages pain medication for veterans, which directly impacts the clinical standards, safety protocols, and access to pain management services for millions of veterans nationwide.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Veterans
Veterans receiving care through the VA are subject to the agency's pain management and opioid prescription policies.
Veterans Health Administration
The agency is responsible for implementing and adjusting clinical guidelines for opioid prescriptions based on committee oversight.
Key Facts
- The hearing was held on March 26, 2015, by the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- The primary subject was the policy, practice, and procedures of the VA regarding opioid prescriptions.
- The committee established new rules requiring opening remarks to be limited to the Chairman and Ranking Member, with other members providing remarks at the end of the hearing.
- Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin were invited to participate due to specific concerns regarding opioid over-prescription in Wisconsin.
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- Witnesses included representatives from the Veterans Health Administration, the VA Office of Inspector General, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Kaiser Permanente, and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Increased Congressional Oversight
The hearing demonstrates a specific focus on regional opioid issues, as evidenced by the inclusion of Wisconsin senators due to local concerns.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment20Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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