S.Amdt. 6175

SA 6175 aims to add a pilot program to the bill that requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to include one or more non-opioid pain management drugs or biological products in the Department of Veterans Affairs national formulary.

The purpose of this amendment is to create a three-year pilot program that integrates non-opioid options for treating acute pain, producing regional analgesia, or reducing postoperative pain without using the body's opioid receptors.

• Timing: The program must start no later than 90 days after the Act is enacted.
• Inclusion Criteria: Drugs or products must be added to the formulary based on specific FDA approval timelines or eligibility for certain payments under the Social Security Act and Code of Federal Regulations.
• Accountability: The Secretary must perform annual reviews to remove any product if FDA approval status changes or if there are significant side effect risks. If a product is removed, a report explaining the rationale must be sent to Congress within 30 days.
• Final Reporting: After the three-year period, the Secretary must provide a report to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs. This report will analyze opioid utilization rates, the use of non-opioid products, and healthcare resource costs (such as emergency department use and re-admissions) compared to the three years before the Act. The report must also include a recommendation on whether to end or continue the program.