,i  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #ajjcg  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(         
,,repres5tatives  ,augu/ #c1 #bjbf,ms4  
,ross 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,davis ( ,nor?    
,c>ol9a1 & ,mrs4 ,mill] ( ,we/ ,virg9ia7
 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$  
to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs   
,a ,,bill  ,to direct ! ,secret>y (     
,vet]ans ,affairs to c>ry out a pilot   
program to exp& access to virtual-bas$  
opioid treatm5t = cov]$ vet]ans1 & = o!r
 purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act   
may be cit$ z ! ,virtual-,bas$ ,opioid  
,treatm5t = ,vet]ans ,act4  #b4         
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs pilot     
program to exp& access to virtual-bas$  
opioid treatm5t = cov]$ vet]ans  7a7    
,e/abli%m5t ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] !
 date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !        
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all      
e/abli% & c>ry out a pilot program on   
exp&+ access to virtual-bas$ opioid     
treatm5t = cov]$ vet]ans4 ,"u ! pilot   
program1 ! ,secret>y %all--  7#a7       
conduct outrea* to cov]$ vet]ans & !    

families ( cov]$ vet]ans ) respect to   
options = virtual-bas$ opioid treatm5t  
furni%$ ?r\gh ! ,vet]ans ,community ,c>e
 ,program ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs e/abli%$ & op]at$ "u section   
#agjc ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 
7#b7 develop ref]ral networks =         
virtual-bas$ opioid treatm5t options =  
cov]$ vet]ans t are design$ ar\nd       
ov]com+ b>ri]s associat$ ) opioid       
treatm5t2  7#c7 create a ref]ral pipel9e
 = cov]$ vet]ans into ^! virtual-bas$   
opioid treatm5t programs1 assi/$ by a   
national public aw>5ess campaign ar\nd  
^! treatm5t programs1 z a supplem5t to  
exi/+ ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs     
direct c>e programs2  7#d7 ensure t     
cl9icians ( ! ,vet]ans ,heal?           
,adm9i/ration & pe]-support speciali/s  
are aw>e ( community c>e                
network-associat$ virtual-bas$ opioid   
treatm5t programs = pati5ts exp]i5c+    
b>ri]s to ! access ( direct c>e provid$ 
by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs2 &   
7#e7 laun* an int]ag5cy task-=ce ) cov]$

 ,secret>ies to ensure a coord9at$1     
:ole-(-,gov]nm5t approa* d$icat$ to     
ensur+ cross-ag5cy integration ( ! pilot
 program4  7b7 ,/udy & report  7#a7 ,9  
g5]al ,z "p ( ! pilot program1 !        
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all c>ry 
out a /udy on ! societal impact ( b>ri]s
 to treatm5t = sub/ance use disord] &   
submit to ! appropriate ag5cy heads &   
congressional committees a report on su*
 /udy4 ,su* report %all include--  7,a7 
a description ( ! f9d+s ( su* /udy2 &   
7,b7 recomm5dations ( ! ,secret>y )     
respect to incorporat+ virtual-bas$     
opioid treatm5t models ) prov5 success 9
 ov]com+ su* b>ri]s4  7#b7  ,annual     
update  ,n lat] ?an #a ye> aft] ! date  
on :i* ! ,secret>y submits ! report "u  
p>agraph 7#a71 & on an annual basis     
!reaft] until ! opioid crisis is no     
long] deem$ a public heal? em]g5cy1 !   
,secret>y %all update ! report "u       
p>agraph 7#a7 & submit to ! appropriate 
ag5cy heads & congressional committees a
 revis$ report t includes a summ>y ( !  

progress ( ! pilot program t[>d resolv+ 
& ov]com+ ! treatm5t b>ri]s id5tifi$ 9 !
 /udy "u p>agraph 7#a74  7c7 ,sunset    
7#a7  ,9 g5]al  ,except z provid$ 9     
p>agraph 7#b71 ! au?ority ( ! ,secret>y 
( ,vet]ans ,affairs to c>ry out ! pilot 
program "u ?is section %all t]m9ate on !
 date t is #b ye>s aft] ! date ( !      
enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  7#b7 ,ext5sion ,if
 ! ,secret>y det]m9es ! pilot program is
 effective 9 improv+ heal?-relat$       
outcomes = cov]$ vet]ans 9 receipt ( c>e
 "u ! pilot program1 ! ,secret>y may    
ext5d su* au?ority = su* p]iod z !      
,secret>y det]m9es appropriate4  7d7    
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3  7#a7 ,! t]m
 appropriate ag5cy heads & congressional
 committees means-- 7,a7 ! ,secret>y (  
,heal? & ,human ,s]vices2  7,b7 !       
,secret>y ( ,def5se2  7,c7 ! ,attorney  
,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2  7,d7 !       
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,s5ate2  7,e7 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' 
,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives2   
7,f7 ! ,committee on ,heal?1 ,education1

 ,labor1 & ,p5sions ( ! ,s5ate2 &  7,g7 
! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce ( !   
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives4  7#b7 ,! t]m   
b>ri]s means b>ri]s to ! access (       
traditional1 9-p]son m$ication-assi/$   
opioid treatm5t1 z def9$ by ! ,c5t]s =  
,disease ,control or ! ,sub/ance ,abuse 
& ,m5tal ,heal? ,s]vices ,adm9i/ration4 
7#c7 ,! t]m cov]$ ,secret>ies means--   
7,a7 ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human      
,s]vices1 act+ ?r\gh ! ,assi/ant        
,secret>y = ,m5tal ,heal? & ,sub/ance   
,abuse2  7,b7 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans    
,affairs1 act+ ?r\gh ! ,"u ,secret>y =  
,heal?2  7,c7 ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se1    
act+ ?r\gh ! ,assi/ant ,secret>y (      
,def5se = ,heal? ,affairs2 &  7,d7 !    
,attorney ,g5]al1 act+ ?r\gh ! ,director
 = ! ,heal? ,s]vices ,division ( !      
,f$]al ,bureau ( ,prisons4  7#d7 ,! t]m 
cov]$ vet]an means a vet]an :o is       
enroll$ 9 ! sy/em ( annual pati5t       
enrollm5t e/abli%$ & op]at$ "u section  
#agje ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4 
7#e7 ,! t]m virtual-bas$ opioid treatm5t

 means treatm5t programs "u ! ,vet]ans  
,community ,c>e ,program ( ! ,dep>tm5t (
 ,vet]ans ,affairs t--  7,a7 incorporate
 same-visit1 same-cl9ician behavioral   
c\nsel+ & m$ication-assi/$ treatm5t 9   
ea* visit2  7,b7 are conduct$ entirely  
?r\gh telem$ic9e or teleheal?2  7,c7 are
 f lic5s$1 bo>d-c]tifi$ psy*iatric      
cl9icians ^: practices possess ,drug    
,en=cem5t ,adm9i/ration lic5ses au?oriz+
 m$ication-assi/$ treatm5t2 &  7,d7 meet
 outcome-bas$ eligibility b5*m>ks1 su* z
 on m9imum ?re%olds = pati5t ret5tion1  
toxicology compliance1 pati5t-report$   
outcomes1 & r$uction 9 em]g5cy dep>tm5t 
utilization or escalation ( c>e1 z      
det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs1 9 consultation ) ! cov]$      
,secret>ies4