Protecting Veteran Telemedicine Access Act

Summary#

This bill adds a new section to title 38 of the U.S. Code that lets certain Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care employees use telemedicine to deliver, distribute, or dispense controlled prescription medications to eligible veterans. It says this is allowed only if the VA clinician is authorized by a current, full, and unrestricted State license or registration, is acting in the usual course of professional practice, and the medication is for a legitimate medical purpose. The bill requires the VA Secretary to write regulations for how this will work and says clinicians remain subject to the federal Controlled Substances Act.

What it means for you#

• Eligible veterans may receive some controlled prescription medications through telemedicine from VA-employed clinicians if the conditions are met.
• Only covered VA employees (not contractors) with proper appointment and supervision status, and with required licenses or qualifications, may use this authority.
• The VA Secretary will issue rules describing the process and standards for these telemedicine deliveries.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

The sponsors introduced the bill to authorize covered VA health care professionals to deliver controlled prescription medications to veterans by telemedicine under specified conditions and to require the Secretary to establish implementing regulations.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.