Senator Tammy Baldwin's office issued the following last week:
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Contact:
press@baldwin.senate.gov
(202) 224-6225
Baldwin Announces Growing Support for Major Bipartisan VA Reform Bill
Jason
Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act would provide VA with the tools
it needs to address the problem of overprescribing practices
Senators Durbin, Franken and Klobuchar join The American Legion, MOAA, AMVETS and others in endorsing legislation
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today announced that support
continues to grow for her bipartisan legislation aimed at providing
safer and more effective pain management services
to our nation’s veterans, the Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act.
In just a month, Senator Baldwin’s bipartisan legislation
has gained support from:
Disabled American Veterans Wisconsin, Disabled American Veterans
(DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), The American Legion, Paralyzed
Veterans of America (PVA), Veterans for Common Sense, Vietnam Veterans
of America (VVA), Association of the United States
Navy (AUSN), National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS),
Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), American Veterans
(AMVETS), American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), National
Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), American Federation
of Government Employees (AFGE), and Trust for America's Health (TFAH).
In
the U.S. Senate, the legislation is cosponsored by Democrats and
Republicans: U.S. Senate Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL),
Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs
Committee, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and U.S. Senators
Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Al Franken (D-MN),
Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar
(D-MN), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ed Markey (D-MA),
Jerry Moran (R-KS), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Jon
Tester (D-MT).
“The sad truth is that the number of
veterans taking opioid painkillers is disproportionately high, compared
to the general population,”
said Senator Durbin.
“The VA is exploring different ways to help veterans alleviate their
pain.
This bill assesses the scope of the issue and recommends ways to help
veterans obtain the best and safest care. I commend Senator Baldwin for
her leadership on this important issue.”
“Unfortunately, our veterans' battles don't always end when they come home,”
said Senator Franken. “Too many of our servicemembers return with
mental and physical wounds sustained while protecting our freedoms, and
I believe we have a special duty to ensure that they get the care and
support they need to cope. But we cannot continue
overprescribing and over-relying on medications that all too often lead
to tragic consequences. This bipartisan bill would help provide our
veterans with safer, more effective pain management plans.”
“As a former prosecutor, I know the
havoc drugs can wreak on families and also that every struggle with
drugs is unique—there is no one-size-fits-all strategy in this fight,”
said Senator Klobuchar. This bipartisan legislation gives the VA
the ability to offer our nation’s veterans a diverse set of proven tools
that can help combat addiction.”
“Too many of our
nation’s veterans have returned from overseas only to fight another
battle here at home. Tragically, stories like Jason Simcakoski’s exist
all around the
country, including in my home state of West Virginia. Far too many
young West Virginia veterans have faced the horrors of PTSD and failed
to receive the quality of care they deserve. These are heartbreaking
examples of the grave magnitude of overmedication,
and we must do everything in our power to prevent deadly opioid
overmedication in our VA facilities. I am proud to join with Senator
Baldwin to strengthen opioid prescribing guidelines and improve pain
management services at the VA. This legislation will not
only provide our veterans a healthier transition to civilian life, it
will save lives,” said Senator Capito.
“The American Legion applauds the
Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act and Senator Baldwin’s
efforts to reform prescribing practices for veterans,” said Ian
DePlanque, Director of the Legislative Division for The American Legion.
“Medications in and of themselves are tools
– not necessarily good, not necessarily bad – you want to make sure
you’re using the right tools in the right situation. There are other
tools that are available. Some complementary and alternative therapy
might work better for particular veterans or for veterans
that may have circumstances that are particularly exacerbating.”
“The Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act is an extremely important and timely piece of legislation,”
said VADM Norb Ryan, USN-ret., President of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).
“MOAA fully supports this bipartisan effort and commends Senator Tammy
Baldwin for championing such a critical bill that will keep veterans
safe and provide
VA with the necessary tools to more effectively manage pain services.”
“AMVETS thanks Senator Baldwin for her
ongoing support of all American veterans and especially for her
leadership in the development and introduction of the
Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act,” said Diane M. Zumatto, AMVETS National Legislative Director.
“Once enacted, this legislation will go a long way towards reducing
veteran addiction to prescription medications, thereby greatly improving
their quality of life, their ability to secure and retain appropriate,
living-wage jobs and to continue their service to our great nation.”
“AFGE strongly supports the Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act and commends Senator Baldwin for her leadership on this critical patient safety issue for our nation’s veterans,”
said Beth Moten, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Legislative and Political Director.
“This important legislation establishes lifesaving preventive measures
that ensure safe opioid prescribing practices while expanding available
treatment
options consistent with current best practices and research.”
On August 30, 2014, U.S. Marine Veteran
Jason Simcakoski died at the Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center as a
result of mixed drug toxicity.
The Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act
would provide VA with the tools it needs to help prevent this type of
tragedy from occurring to other veterans and their families.
"This
is an opportunity to take all of this and learn from it. We have a
chance to create a new path; or we can continue how we currently are and
keep making the same mistakes we are today,”
said Heather Simcakoski, Jason’s widow. “When I look back at the
past, I want to know we made a difference. I want to believe we have
leaders in our country who care. I want to inspire others to never give
up because change is possible."
"This
legislation from Senator Baldwin is one of the most important actions
we can take to save the lives of our greatest assets, our veterans,”
said Marv Simcakoski, Jason’s father.
Senator
Baldwin’s bipartisan legislation, crafted in close consultation with
medical professionals, veterans service organizations, and the
Simcakoski family, focuses on strengthening the
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) opioid prescribing guidelines
and improving pain management services by putting the following reforms
in place:
·
Requiring
stronger opioid prescribing guidelines and education for VA providers
including stricter standards against prescribing dangerous combinations
of opioids with other drugs and
for prescribing opioids to patients struggling with mental health
issues;
·
Increased
coordination and communication throughout the VA with medical
facilities, providers, patients and their families surrounding pain
management, alternative treatments for chronic
pain, and appropriate opioid therapy; and
·
Holding
the VA system accountable for appropriate care and quality standards
through consistent internal audits as well as GAO reviews and reports to
Congress.
In addition to improving opioid therapy and pain management, the
Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act helps strengthen
patient advocacy, expand access to complementary and integrative health
and wellness, and enhance VA hiring and internal audits.
View an online version of this release
here.
###