Senator Tammy Baldwin (above) is a US Senator from Wisconsin.
***MEDIA RELEASE***
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Contact:
press@baldwin.senate.gov
(202) 224-6225
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Announces Major Veterans Legislation to Combat Opioid Abuse
Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act
would provide VA with the tools it needs to address the problem of overprescribing practices
“The overreliance on opioids has resulted in getting our veterans hooked instead of getting them the help they deserve.”
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Senator Baldwin today announced her plans to introduce
major legislation aimed at providing safer and more effective pain
management services to our nation’s veterans.
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.
“After
two, decade-long wars, our veterans and their families are facing the
difficult challenges of physical injuries, PTSD and other mental
illnesses. We must confront these problems more
safely and more effectively to help them meet that challenge. I believe
the VA’s overreliance on opioids has resulted in getting our veterans
hooked instead of getting them the help they deserve,”
said Senator Baldwin. “The Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act
will take steps to address VA’s overuse of opioids and to improve
quality pain management for veterans and their families, including by
giving them a stronger voice in their
care. My legislation proposes a number of solutions to strengthen
opioid prescribing guidelines; improve coordination and communication
throughout the VA; and put in place stronger oversight and
accountability for the quality of care we are providing our veterans.
My goal is to put these reforms in place to prevent Jason’s 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 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.
“DAV
Wisconsin has closely followed the overmedication issue at the Tomah VA
Medical Center. We have given input to Deputy VA Secretary Sloan Gibson
and Interim Under Secretary for Health
Dr. Carolyn Clancy to prevent future occurrences. Additionally, we have
submitted testimony to the Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs Committee. DAV Wisconsin strongly supports the introduction of
the
Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act by Senator Baldwin
and feels, if enacted, it will be an important step in preventing future
tragedies at Tomah VA and other VA sites,” said
Disabled American Veterans Wisconsin (DAV Wisconsin) Legislative Director Al Labelle.
“Veterans who struggle with complex pain
or mental health care conditions have earned and deserve a VA health
care system that provides them the best health care available in a
timely manner.
The VFW supports this important legislation, which we believe will
improve the health care VA provides America’s veterans, and we thank
Senator Baldwin for her leadership in bringing it forward,” said
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) National Legislative Director Raymond Kelley.
“The
American Society of Addiction Medicine is pleased to support the
introduction of the Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act,
sponsored by Senator Baldwin. Improving opioid prescribing
practices, including through prescriber education, is a crucial
component of a multipronged effort to stem the epidemic of prescription
drug addiction and overdose deaths in the U.S., and we applaud the
Senator for the comprehensive approach this legislation
takes to ensuring our veterans receive safe and compassionate care,”
said American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) President R. Jeffrey Goldsmith, MD, DLFAPA, FASAM.
“Disabled
American Veterans is dedicated to a single purpose: empowering veterans
to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. Based on several
resolutions adopted by our membership
in our most recent National Convention, DAV strongly supports the Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act which seeks
to improve VA patient advocacy services, expand availability of
complementary and alternative health care services for pain management,
and ensure safe prescribing practices of addictive substances. We
appreciate Senator Baldwin’s leadership in developing
this legislation and we urge Congress to proceed with its enactment
this year,” said
Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Executive Director Garry J. Augustine.
“As
the nation’s largest organization representing people living with
serious mental illness and their families, the National Alliance on
Mental Illness offers our strong support for the
Jason Simcakoski Memorial Opioid Safety Act and Senator Baldwin’s
leadership in bringing forward legislation that aims to provide safe
and appropriate opioid prescribing practices at the VA. We applaud the
Senator’s call to provide enhanced prescribing
guidelines, case management, monitoring programs, the establishment of
pain management boards, and in providing access to community meetings to
address these issues. We thank Senator Baldwin for bringing this
important legislation forward and look forward
to working to ensure its swift passage,” said National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Manager of Military and Veterans Policy Ingrid Herrera-Yee, PhD.
Senator
Baldwin’s legislation is supported by Disabled American Veterans
Wisconsin, Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Veterans of Foreign Wars
(VFW), American Society of Addiction Medicine
(ASAM), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and Trust for
America's Health (TFAH).
View an online version of this release
here.
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