HR-4063 : Still Just a Bill

Promoting Responsible Opioid Management and Incorporating Scientific Expertise Act or the Jason Simcakoski PROMISE Act

This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to jointly update the VA/DOD Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain, including guidelines regarding:

• prescribing opioids for outpatient treatment of chronic, non-cancer pain;
• contraindications for opioid therapy;
• treatment of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, psychiatric disorders, or a history of substance abuse or addiction;
• case management for patients transitioning between inpatient and outpatient health care and between DOD and non-DOD health care;
• routine and random urine drug tests to help prevent substance abuse; and
• options to augment opioid therapy with other clinical and complementary and integrative health services to minimize opioid dependence.

The VA shall:

• expand the opioid safety initiative to include all VA medical facilities, including providing employees with pain management training, and establishment of pain management teams;
• track and monitor opioid use, including through the use of state program information;
• increase the availability of Food and Drug Administration-approved opioid receptor antagonists;
• modify the computerized patient record system to ensure that any health care provider that accesses a veteran's record will be immediately notified whether the veteran is receiving opioid therapy and has a history of substance use disorder or opioid abuse;
• establish standard protocols for the designation of pain management teams at each VA medical facility;
• carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility of using wellness programs to complement pain management and related health care services to veterans;
• carry out a program of internal audits to improve health care services to veterans and their families; and
• provide to the medical board of each state in which a VA health care provider is licensed information about such provider's medical license violations.

The Creating Options for Veterans' Expedited Recovery Commission is established to examine the evidence-based therapy treatment model used by the VA for treating mental health conditions of veterans and the potential benefits of incorporating complementary alternative treatments available in non-VA facilities.

The Government Accountability Office shall report to Congress on the VA's opioid safety initiative and patient advocacy program.

The VA shall request from the medical board of each state in which a prospective health care provider has a medical license information on: (1) medical license violations during the past 20 years, and (2) any settlement agreements for a medical-related disciplinary charge.