H.R. 5919 — Veterans HOPE Act

This section states congressional findings on the rise in opioid overdose deaths among veterans, including a 65% increase from 2010 to 2016 (adjusted for demographics) primarily from nonprescription sources such as heroin and synthetic opioids like fentanyl—despite a decline in prescription opioid receipt from 54% to 26% of decedents—and notes that Veterans Health Administration patients are seven times more likely to suffer opioid use disorder than commercially insured patients. It expresses the sense of Congress that veterans overdose prevention efforts and research should extend beyond patients actively receiving opioid prescriptions.

This section directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, not later than 18 months after enactment, to complete a review of deaths from opioid overdoses among covered veterans (i.e., veterans who received Department of Veterans Affairs hospital care or medical services during the five-year period preceding their death) during the five-year period before enactment. The review must include (1) the total number of such deaths; (2) a demographic summary by age, sex, race, and ethnicity; (3) medications prescribed or found in decedents' bodies, especially those with black box warnings (i.e., warnings of risks including death or serious injury), off-label uses, or psychotropic effects; (4) VA diagnoses leading to such prescriptions; (5) instances of concurrent multiple VA prescriptions; (6) average time between last prescription opioid and death, plus causes of death; (7) percentage with combat experience or trauma (including military sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, or post-traumatic stress disorder); (8) VA facilities with high prescription and drug abuse treatment rates; (9) VA policies on prescribing such medications; (10) efforts to track, collect, and dispose of unused, expired, or improperly held prescription opioids; (11) any apparent patterns; and (12) recommendations to improve veteran safety and reduce overdose rates, particularly for those without an opioid prescription in the prior three months. Not later than 45 days after completing the review, the Secretary must submit a report to Congress, make it publicly available, and brief the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs.