WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – today led a committee hearing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and representatives from the VA Inspector General Office, the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the Wounded Warrior Project to discuss VA’s prescription practices and steps VA has made to improve treatments for veterans, especially for those with mental health conditions.

“As a nation, we owe veterans the assurance of receiving safe, high-quality, and effective care through the Department of Veterans Affairs,” said Sen. Moran. “This includes making certain that the medications they are being prescribed are designed to support their recovery from trauma, pain and mental health challenges and are being paired correctly with the right support systems.”

“Medication is critical to the overall care and well-being of many veterans and nothing from today’s hearing should suggest that veterans should hesitate to seek treatment or that evidence-based medications are unsafe or unwelcome in any way,” continued Sen. Moran. “Over the past decade, VA has made significant progress in reducing opioid prescriptions through promoting safer options, expanding programs that support holistic health, and implementing new oversight measures to identify high-risk medication combinations. This hearing, however, provides an opportunity to assess progress, discuss effective strategies, and identify gaps that still remain.”

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article that highlighted concerns about a lack of coordination and management of medications for veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries, depression and anxiety.

You can watch his questioning to the witnesses here & here.

Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Opening Remarks

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