S. 5497 — Introduced in Senate

II 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 5497 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 24, 2026Mr. King (for himself and Mr. Banks) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 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. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act. 2. 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. .