NOPAIN for Veterans Act

NOPAIN for Veterans Act would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to add certain non-opioid pain medications and biological products to the VA’s national formulary and the drug standardization list. A “non-opioid pain management drug or biological product” is defined as an FDA-approved medication or biologic that reduces postoperative pain or provides postsurgical or regional analgesia without acting on the body’s opioid receptors. The VA must include such drugs in the formulary within one year after they become eligible for certain Medicare/SSA-related payments (temporary additional payment under SSA 1833(t)(16)(G) or separate payment under 42 CFR 416.174), and implement these changes within 90 days after enactment. Additionally, funds from the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund cannot be used to carry out these amendments. The overall aim is to broaden non-opioid pain options for veterans and standardize their use across VA facilities.