U.S. Congress legislation · 119th Congress
SB5497: Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act
Status: In committee, September 24, 2026
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.
What the bill says
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.
From the introduced text, September 24, 2026:
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. SECTION 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act . SECTION 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 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. .
Sponsors
- King, Angus (I) · primary sponsor
- Banks, Jim (R)
Latest actions
- : Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- : Introduced in Senate
Subjects: Armed Forces and National Security
Common questions
- What is SB5497?
- SB5497 is a bill in Congress (119th Congress): Providing Veterans Essential Medications Act.
- What does SB5497 do?
- In its own words: 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.
- What is the status of SB5497?
- In committee as of September 24, 2026. Latest action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (September 24, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB5497?
- King, Angus (I), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for SB5497?
- On the Congress website: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5497
Source: official Congress record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.