Sponsors (2)
The bill increases veterans' and caregivers' no‑prescription access to lifesaving opioid rescue medications and protects veterans' privacy, but it raises program costs and could strain supply and administrative coordination unless funded and resourced.
Veterans and their caregivers can obtain naloxone and other opioid rescue medications free and without a prescription from VA pharmacies, increasing timely access to lifesaving overdose treatment.
Caregivers and veterans receiving these medications will get usage information, improving correct administration during overdoses and raising the chance of survival.
Limits on collecting and using personally identifiable information protect veterans' privacy and reduce risk that program data could be used against them in employment or legal contexts.
Providing free naloxone through VA pharmacies will impose program costs on the VA and taxpayers and may require VA budget adjustments or additional appropriations.
If access is expanded to non-VA providers or family members, increased demand could strain pharmacy supply chains and VA distribution systems without added resources.
Restrictions on collecting and using personal data may limit some administrative checks or coordination with external agencies, potentially complicating verification or safety monitoring.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires free, prescription‑free naloxone and other overdose rescue meds at VA pharmacies for covered veterans and their caregivers, plus reporting and privacy limits.
Official title: Direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to make opioid overdose rescue medications available to veterans and their caregivers, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 2, 2026 by Jeanne Shaheen · Last progress February 2, 2026
Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to make opioid overdose rescue medications (for example, naloxone) available at VA pharmacies to covered veterans and their caregivers without charge and without a prescription. It also requires provision of drug‑use information to recipients, limits collection and use of personally identifiable information, and mandates regular reporting to Congress on program counts, usage trends, and feasibility of expanding access to family members and non‑VA providers. Defines key terms including caregiver, covered medication, and covered veteran, and sets reporting timelines: an initial report within two years of first availability and annual reports thereafter with specified elements and recommendations.