I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1628 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in each Veterans 
Integrated Service Network a pain management board. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 25, 2015 
Mr. KIND (for himself, Mr. ZELDIN, and Mr. RIBBLE) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish in each 
Veterans Integrated Service Network a pain management 
board. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Pain Man-
agement Improvement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PAIN MANAGEMENT BOARDS 
OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
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‘‘§ 7309A. Pain management boards 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish in each Veterans Integrated Service Network a Pain 
Management Board (in this section referred to as a 
‘Board’). 
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—(1)(A) Each Board shall provide 
treatment recommendations for patients described in sub-
paragraph (B) with complex clinical pain who are being 
treated at a medical facility of the Department located in 
the Veterans Integrated Service Network covered by the 
Board, regardless of whether such treatment is on an in- 
patient or out-patient basis. 
‘‘(B) A patient described in this subparagraph is a 
patient for whom a request for treatment recommenda-
tions under subparagraph (A) has been made by— 
‘‘(i) the patient; 
‘‘(ii) the spouse of the patient; 
‘‘(iii) a family member of the patient or an indi-
vidual if such family member or individual has been 
designated by the patient to make health care deci-
sions for the patient or to receive health care infor-
mation of the patient; 
‘‘(iv) a physician of the patient; or 
‘‘(v) an employee of the medical facility of the 
Department described in such subparagraph. 
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‘‘(2) Based on treatment recommendations developed 
by the Board under paragraph (1)(A), each Board shall 
provide to health care professionals of the Department lo-
cated in the Veterans Integrated Service Network covered 
by the Board recommendations on the best practices re-
garding pain management in complex clinical pain cases. 
‘‘(3)(A) Each Board shall annually submit to the Sec-
retary and the Under Secretary for Health a report on 
pain management practices carried out in the Veterans In-
tegrated Service Network covered by the Board. Such re-
port shall include, for the year covered by the report, the 
following: 
‘‘(i) The treatment recommendations provided 
under paragraph (1)(A), including— 
‘‘(I) a summary of such recommendations; 
and 
‘‘(II) an explanation of the merits of each 
such recommendation. 
‘‘(ii) The recommendations for best practices 
provided under paragraph (2), including— 
‘‘(I) a summary of such recommendations; 
and 
‘‘(II) an explanation of the merits of each 
such recommendation. 
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‘‘(iii) Any other information the Board deter-
mines appropriate. 
‘‘(B) Not later than January 31 of each year, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a 
report that contains each report submitted to the Sec-
retary under subparagraph (A) during the previous year. 
‘‘(4) No Board shall not be subject to the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 
‘‘(c) MEMBERSHIP.—(1) Each Board shall consist of 
a number of members determined appropriate by the Sec-
retary who are appointed by the Secretary from among 
individuals who have experience as— 
‘‘(A) a professional in a field relating to pain 
management, including as— 
‘‘(i) a board certified pain medicine spe-
cialist; 
‘‘(ii) a trained and qualified primary care 
pain champion; 
‘‘(iii) a pain psychologist; 
‘‘(iv) a pain social worker; 
‘‘(v) a pain point of contact for a Veterans 
Integrated Service Network; 
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‘‘(vi) a psychiatrist with addiction and 
psychopharmacology expertise and experience; 
or 
‘‘(vii) a health care professional or a men-
tal health care professional; 
‘‘(B) clinical patients; or 
‘‘(C) family members of clinical patients. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall determine the terms of serv-
ice of the members. 
‘‘(3) Members shall serve without pay and, except as 
provided by this paragraph, members who are full-time of-
ficers or employees of the United States may not receive 
additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their 
service on the Board. Members may receive travel ex-
penses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence for travel 
in connection with their duties as members of the Board. 
Any member who has clinical duties as an officer or em-
ployee of the United States shall be relieved of such duties 
during periods in which such relief is necessary for the 
member to carry out the duties of the Board. 
‘‘(d) POWERS.—(1) Each Board may hold hearings, 
sit and act at times and places, take testimony, and re-
ceive evidence as the Board determines appropriate. 
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‘‘(2) Each Board may secure directly from any de-
partment or agency of the Federal Government informa-
tion necessary to enable it to carry out this section. 
‘‘(3) Each Board may conduct site visits of medical 
facilities of the Department to collect information nec-
essary to enable it to carry out this section. 
‘‘(4) The Secretary shall provide to each Board ad-
ministrative support services necessary for the Board to 
carry out this section.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 7309 the following new 
item: 
‘‘7309A. Pain management boards.’’. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than December 1, 2015, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Commit-
tees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 
and the Senate the approved clinical guideline, handbook, 
directive, policy, or other guidance established to govern 
the stepdown methodologies employed by clinicians in 
medical facilities of the Department to manage the use 
of opioid therapies and associated prescribing practices. 
Æ 
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