H.R. 10346House118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act

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Updated January 20, 2026 at 8:17 PM UTC

The Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act amends Title 38 of the U.S. Code to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to either reimburse state nursing homes for expensive prescription drugs given to veteran residents or to supply those drugs directly. It creates a new payment option for state homes that care for veterans and sets a definition for what counts as a “costly medication.” The changes affect state‑run nursing facilities that have contracts to provide care for veterans.

Key Provisions

The VA Secretary may, at a state home’s choice, either reimburse the home for a costly medication or furnish the medication to the home.
A “costly medication” is defined as a drug whose average wholesale price for a month, plus a 3% transaction fee, exceeds 8.5% of the VA’s payment to the home for the veteran’s care that month.
A “covered State home” is a state nursing home that, under a contract, provides a costly medication to a veteran.
The existing payment provision in Section 1745(a)(3) is revised to add these new options and definitions.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

December 10, 2024

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HouseIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H6539)

December 10, 2024

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

December 10, 2024

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

December 10, 2024

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued December 10, 2024

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10346

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 10, 2024

Mrs. Miller-Meeks introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse State homes for the cost of, or to furnish to State homes, certain costly medications provided to veterans who receive nursing home care in such State homes, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act.

Reimbursement of a State home for high cost medications

Section 1745(a)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by striking Payment and inserting (A) Subject to subparagraph (B), payment; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:

(B)

In addition to payment described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall, at the election of a covered State home—

(i)

reimburse the covered State home for a costly medication; or

(ii)

furnish such costly medication to the covered State home.

(C)

In this paragraph:

(i)

The term costly medication means a drug or medicine for which the average wholesale price for one month’s supply, plus a 3 percent transaction fee, exceeds 8.5 percent of the payment under subparagraph (A) by the Secretary to a covered State home for care provided to the veteran who receives such costly medication during such month.

(ii)

The term covered State home means a State home that, in the course of nursing home care provided pursuant to a contract (or agreement) under paragraph (1), provides to a veteran a costly medication.