,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #edig  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,september #bd1
 #bjbf,mr4 ,king 7for himself and ,mr4  
,banks7 introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a  
,,bill  ,to amend title #ch1 ,united    
,states ,code1 to direct the ,secretary 
of ,veterans ,affairs to reimburse      
,state homes for the cost of1 or to     
furnish to ,state homes1 certain costly 
medications provided to veterans who    
receive nursing home care in such ,state
 homes1 and for other purposes4  #a4    
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,providing ,veterans ,essential     
,medications ,act4  #b4 ,reimbursement  
of a ,state home for high cost          
medications ,section #agde7;a77#c7 of   
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,payment and 
inserting 7,a7 ,subject to subparagraph 
7,b71 payment2 and  7#b7 by adding at   
the end the following new subparagraphs3

  7,b7 ,in addition to payment described
 in subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary   
shall1 at the election of a covered     
,state home-- 7i7 reimburse the covered 
,state home for a costly medication2 or 
7ii7 furnish such costly medication to  
the covered ,state home4  7,c7 ,in this 
paragraph3 7i7 ,the term costly         
medication means a drug or medicine for 
which the average wholesale price for   
one month's supply1 plus a #c percent   
transaction fee1 exceeds #h4e percent of
 the payment under subparagraph 7,a7 by 
the ,secretary to a covered ,state home 
for care provided to the veteran who    
receives such costly medication during  
such month4  7ii7 ,the term covered     
,state home means a ,state home that1 in
 the course of nursing home care        
provided pursuant to a contract 7or     
agreement7 under paragraph 7#a71        
provides to a veteran a costly          
medication4  4