Veterans Pain Care Act of 2008: Walz witness testimony

Now up at the House Veterans Affair Committee web site, along with documentation from the bill's supporters.  Some choice excerpts from Walz's witness testimony of the Veterans Pain Care Act of 2008:

Chairman, Ranking member, members of the Subcommittee, thank you.  I am here today to testify about H.R. 6122, the Veterans Pain Care Act of 2008, which I introduced on May 21, 2008.  This bill requires the Secretary of the VA to develop and implement a comprehensive policy on pain management for veterans enrolled in the VA health care system and to carry out a program of research, training and education on acute and chronic pain.

Pain is a leading cause of disability among veterans.  Modern warfare also often leads to serious but survivable injuries to the central nervous system.  And while advances in medical technology have saved the lives of many wounded soldiers, many veterans of our Armed Forces are afflicted by acute and chronic pain.  As a result, providing adequate pain management is a crucial component of improving veteran health care.

VA recognizes that chronic and acute pain among our veterans is a serious problem, and I applaud VA’s existing pain care programs.  But comprehensive pain care is not consistently provided on a uniform basis throughout the VA’s health care system.  My legislation will give VA the necessary tools to serve the needs of our veterans, building on the work VA is already doing.  By also making clear that Congress considers pain care a priority, and putting it in law, VA’s pain care programs will be less subject to the winds of politics ands its unpredictability.

At the same time, the bill is not duplicative of the efforts VA is making - though by building on what VA is already doing means that my bill should not be expensive nor cumbersome.  . . .

. . .I am also very pleased that a number of Veterans Service Organizations are here today to express their support for the bill. There is also a role for them in the implementation of this bill, as VA will work with veterans service organizations and other experts in pain management to continually improve its comprehensive pain care policy. There is also an oversight mechanism, so that Congress has a role in ensuring that this happens: the VA is required to report regularly to Congress on the progress it is making in implementing and improving its pain management policy.

With these oversight mechanisms, and by directing VA to update its pain management policy in light of experience and evolving best practices as well as to carry out a research component, the ultimate aim of the bill is to lay a foundation for the ongoing improvement in pain care treatment of our veterans and, in combination with the companion military bill, for our service members across their careers. In that way, we can work towards fulfilling what I believe is a moral obligation to care for these veterans with the most innovative pain management techniques, so that they can have the highest quality of life possible.

 

Comments

[Pat Smith]

The’ highest quality of life possible’, is only achievable with pain management /medication that still allows the veteran to be able to THINK CLEARLY. This much alone is almost impossible to achieve, and being physically disabled does cause one to be depressed which requires; anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, muscle relaxers etc…While the business of the VA is not to just serve veterans, it is part of the government so it is mandated to also save as much money/taxes as possible: which mostly means old out-dated but cost-effective medications presently used only by veterinarians. The doctors at the VA faculties would have a much better success rate using the same modern medications as the doctors out-side the VA.

[Nancy Gertner]

Innovation requires research, and the extensive 'earmark' collection of Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania includes research by agencies in his state to perform pain management research.

People like John Kline (MN2) and Senator McCain (AZ) complain about earmarks being bad, while Murtha matches the resources available in his district to meet a valid need of We the People.

John Kline's 'leadership style' is to vote against the appropriation for the FY2007 funding of the Department of Veterans Affairs [31 January 2007] and then, two days later, tell the media that he's 'outraged' that a combat Marine Corps Veteran has died in his district after reportedly being unable to get inpatient care at the VAMC.