H.R. 1063 – Veteran Prescription Continuity Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 12:46 PM UTC

The Veteran Prescription Continuity Act makes sure that service members moving from Department of Defense (DoD) health care to Veterans Affairs (VA) health care keep receiving any medicines they need for the transition. It requires the VA to provide prescription drugs that aren’t on the standard joint formulary when a DoD health‑care provider says they are essential. The rule applies to veterans as soon as they enroll in VA health care and lasts until a provider decides the drug is no longer required.

Key Provisions

Amends the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act to add a new subsection (c) titled “Other Pharmaceutical Agents.”
Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to supply any prescription drug not on the joint uniform formulary if a DoD health‑care provider determines it is critical for a veteran’s transition to VA care.
The VA must provide the drug from the date the veteran enrolls in VA health care until a DoD health‑care provider decides the drug is no longer needed.

Legislative Activity

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3 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Health Subcommittee

September 26, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 15, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

February 15, 2017

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

March 3, 2017

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Health Subcommittee

September 26, 2017

Floor Debate

3 members

What members said about H.R. 1063 on the floor

2 Republicans1 Democrat

Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.R-WI-5 · Dec 21, 2018

Mr. Speaker, due to unavoidable circumstances, I was physically absent from the House of Representatives on December 21, 2018. On that day, I missed 9 recorded votes. I submit for the Record how I…

Rep. Bob GoodlatteR-VA-6 · Dec 21, 2018

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 475, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 476, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 477, ``yea'' on rollcall No. 478,…

Rep. Joseph D. MorelleD-NY-25 · Dec 21, 2018

Mr. Speaker, I regrettably missed the vote on S. 3191, the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act, on Friday, December 21, 2018. I had intended to vote ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 482.

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued February 15, 2017

I

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1063

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 15, 2017

Mr. O'Rourke (for himself, Mr. Coffman, Mr. Jones, Mr. Peters, Miss Rice of New York, and Ms. Titus) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To ensure that an individual who is transitioning from receiving medical treatment furnished by the Secretary of Defense to medical treatment furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs receives the pharmaceutical agents required for such transition.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veteran Prescription Continuity Act.

2.

Improvement to transition of care of veterans

Section 715 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 1074g note) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subsections (c) through (f) as subsections (d) through (g), respectively; and

(2)

by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection (c):

(c)

Other pharmaceutical agents

(1)

Critical for transition

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall furnish to an individual who is transitioning from receiving treatment furnished by the Secretary of Defense to treatment furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs pursuant to chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, any pharmaceutical agent not included in the joint uniform formulary if a health care provider of the Department of Defense determines that such pharmaceutical agent is critical for such transition.

(2)

Duration

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall furnish to an individual a pharmaceutical agent under paragraph (1) during the period—

(A)

beginning on the date on which the individual is enrolled in the health care system of the Department of Veterans Affairs established under section 1705 of title 38, United States Code; and

(B)

ending on the date on which a health care provider of the Department determines that the individual does not require such pharmaceutical agent.

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