It requires the VA Secretary to supply to the HHS Secretary the name of the manufacturer upon the execution or termination of any master agreement and, on a quarterly basis, a list of manufacturers who have entered into such agreements. As we understand the purpose of the proposed pilot, it would determine if a schedule comparable to the FSS should be established to expand discounts to provide pharmacy benefits to the federal employee health benefit program community. Mr. Chairman, the DAV is concerned that by expansion of the FSS, the VA would have to bear increased costs that could require either an increased appropriation of billions of dollars from Congress or the reduction of health care services to hundreds of thousands of sick and disabled veterans who rely on the VA as their sole source of health care. As VA officials have stated on numerous occasions in the last decade, anything which increases the volume of drugs sold under FSS and subject to Public Law 102-585 pricing policy has potential to adversely affect VA pricing for pharmaceuticals. If outlays for pharmaceuticals to these programs are lowered through extension of FSS pricing, it is clear the pharmaceutical industry will move to retain profit margin through pricing strategy modifications, i.e. they will raise prices in other venues to maintain profit margins.
Many veterans die before they are able to access health care.
Few citizens serve and sacrifice for the nation, but all citizens benefit from the efforts of our citizen-soldiers. Fifty-six years ago, plans were underway for the largest allied air and sea invasion of Europe. Many who saw the movie were horrified by the images on the large screen. They left the theater praising the efforts of those brave men who stormed ashore at Normandy on June 6, 1944. More than any other movie, Saving Private Ryan has made the public aware of the horrors of war and the sacrifices made by those who served this great nation.