NATION New VA policy allows filling of prescriptions

A new policy by the Department of Veterans Affairs will allow the VA to fill private prescriptions for any veteran who has been waiting for an appointment with a VA doctor for more than 30 days.
The policy, which took effect Friday, will allow previously enrolled veterans who have been on a waiting list to fill prescriptions from private physicians at the VA's fee of $7 for a 30-day supply of drugs.
However, veterans who were not enrolled in the system by Friday are not eligible.
"This new initiative is long overdue," said Jeremy Chwat, director of Legislation for Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association. "This will allow VA to significantly reduce their existing patient backlog, but unfortunately does not go far enough in addressing the needs of all veterans."
The organization said veterans solely seeking prescription drugs are flooding the system. That influx has strained the department's medical budget and prescription drug program, leading to creation of the new policy. This strain on the system has caused veterans to endure a wait of between six months to a year to see a doctor.
VA Secretary Anthony Principi also announced that he would consider permitting all enrolled veterans to fill privately written prescriptions at the VA in the next six months, but again, that would apply only to those veterans enrolled on or before Friday.