Provision of opioid overdose rescue medications by Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans and their caregivers

(a) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make covered medications available at pharmacies of the Department of Veterans Affairs to any covered veteran or caregiver of a covered veteran at no charge and without a prescription. (b) Provision of information The Secretary shall ensure that any veteran or caregiver of a covered veteran who receives a covered medication under subsection (a) also receives drug information on the use of such medication. (c) Limitation on use of information (1) In general In carrying out this section, the Secretary may only collect the personally identifiable information needed for prescribing covered medication, and any personally identifiable information collected under this section may be used solely for the purpose of delivering, evaluating, and enhancing the quality of health care. (2) Exclusion The Secretary may not use any personally identifiable information collected under this section— (A) for the purpose of preventing a veteran from employment; (B) as evidence of a history of drug use; or (C) as evidence that an individual is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance. (d) Report (1) In general Not later than two years after the date on which the Secretary first makes covered medications available to covered veterans and the caregivers of covered veterans pursuant to subsection (a), and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on this section. (2) Elements The report required under paragraph (1) shall include each of the following: (A) The number of covered veterans and caregivers of covered veterans who received covered medications under this section. (B) An assessment of the feasibility of expanding the authority under this section to provide covered medications to immediate family members of covered veterans. (C) An assessment of the feasibility of expanding the authority under this section to include non-Department health care providers through which the Secretary furnishes hospital care, medical services, and extended care services to covered veterans under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code. (D) An assessment of trends in the utilization of covered medications provided under this section. (E) Any other recommendations of the Secretary with respect to the authority under this section. (e) Definitions In this section: (1) Caregiver The term caregiver means— (A) a family caregiver of a veteran participating in the program of comprehensive assistance for family caregivers under subsection (a) of section 1720G of title 38, United States Code; or (B) a caregiver of a veteran participating in the program of general caregiver support services under subsection (b) of such section. (2) Covered medication The term covered medication means any opioid overdose rescue medication, such as naloxone. (3) Covered veteran The term covered veteran has the meaning given that term in section 1703(b) of title 38, United States Code.