I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 372

To provide for a pilot program to be conducted by the Department of 

Veterans Affairs to assess the benefits of providing for pharmacies of 

the Department of Veterans Affairs to fill prescriptions for drugs and 

medicines written by private physicians. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 27, 2003

Mr. LYNCH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL

To provide for a pilot program to be conducted by the 

Department of Veterans Affairs to assess the benefits 

of providing for pharmacies of the Department of Veterans Affairs to fill prescriptions for drugs and medicines 

written by private physicians.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. PILOT PROGRAM FOR DEPARTMENT OF VET2 ERANS AFFAIRS PHARMACIES TO DISPENSE 

3 MEDICATIONS TO VETERANS ON PRESCRIP4 TIONS WRITTEN BY PRIVATE PRACTI5 TIONERS. 

6 (a) PILOT PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Veterans Af7 fairs shall conduct a pilot program to assess the advan8 tages and disadvantages of furnishing to veterans through 

9 Department of Veterans Affairs pharmacies drugs and 

10 medicines ordered on prescription of any duly licensed 

11 physician in the treatment of any illness or injury of a 

12 veteran. 

13 (b) LOCATION OF PILOT PROGRAM.—The pilot pro14 gram shall be conducted through health-care facilities of 

15 the Department of Veterans Affairs located in the service 

16 region of the Veterans Health Administration designated 

17 as Veterans Integrated Service Network 1 (‘‘VISN 1’’). 

18 (c) DURATION OF PROGRAM.—The pilot program 

19 shall be conducted during the two-year period beginning 

20 on the date of the enactment of this Act. 

21 (d) CONDUCT OF PROGRAM.—Under the pilot pro22 gram, the Secretary shall provide for health-care facilities 

23 of the Department of Veterans Affairs in the area speci24 fied in subsection (b) to furnish to a veteran such drugs 

25 and medicines as may be ordered on prescription of a duly 
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1 licensed physician in the treatment of any illness or injury 

2 of the veteran. 

3 (e) REQUIRED COPAYMENT.—The furnishing of 

4 drugs and medicines under the pilot program shall be sub5 ject to the copayment requirement in section 1722A of 

6 title 38, United States Code. 

7 (f) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the end 

8 of the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall 

9 submit to Congress a report on the pilot program. The 

10 Secretary shall include in the report the following: 

11 (1) The Secretary’s assessment of the benefits 

12 to veterans of the pilot program. 

13 (2) The Secretary’s assessment of the effect of 

14 the pilot program on the Department of Veterans 

15 Affairs, including the effect on delivery of health 

16 care to veterans. 

17 (3) Any other findings and conclusions of the 

18 Secretary with respect to the pilot program. 

19 (4) Any recommendations of the Secretary for 

20 continuation of the pilot program or for extension of 

21 the pilot program to other service regions or to all 

22 service regions.

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