End Veterans Overdose Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced
Summary
Free, no-prescription opioid overdose rescue meds for eligible veterans and caregivers.
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- Caregiver definition: The bill specifies eligible caregivers as family caregivers in the VA's comprehensive assistance program and caregivers in the VA's general caregiver support program.
- Privacy limits: The VA may collect only personally identifiable information needed to prescribe these medicines and may use that data only to deliver, evaluate, and improve health care. The VA may not use that data to block employment or as evidence of past or illegal drug use or addiction.
- Reporting and oversight: Not later than two years after the VA first makes these medicines available, and annually after that, the Secretary must report to Congress on the number of recipients, trends in use, and the feasibility of expanding the authority to immediate family members and to non-VA health providers through which the VA furnishes care.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Free naloxone at VA pharmacies
If enacted, you would be able to get opioid overdose rescue medicine, like naloxone, for free at VA pharmacies if you are a covered veteran or a qualifying caregiver. You would not need a prescription. The VA would give drug-use information with each medicine. The VA would only collect personal data needed to prescribe the medicine and could use it only to deliver, evaluate, and improve health care. That data could not be used to block employment or as evidence of drug use or addiction. The VA would report to Congress within two years after it first offers the medicines and then each year with recipient counts, feasibility assessments on expanding access to immediate family and to non-VA providers that furnish VA care, trends in use, and other recommendations.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
ID • R
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov