Congressman Seth Moulton Calls for Investigation Into the Use of Opioid Painkillers at VA Hospitals Across the Country

Washington, D.C. - Today, in a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Congressman Seth Moulton called for an independent investigation into the Veterans Affairs's (VA) opioid prescription and pain management practices.  Three House and Senate members, including Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey, joined Moulton in sending the letter to the GAO.    

One in four veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan report symptoms of a mental or cognitive disorder and one in six report symptoms of post-traumatic stress. At the same time, the number of opioid medications prescribed at the VA has more than doubled in the last decade, with nearly 25-percent of patients receiving the medication. 

“The increase in opioid use in Massachusetts is a true public health emergency that is impacting every community in our commonwealth, but especially our veterans,” said Moulton. “Too often, veterans are being treated with these painkillers instead of other available treatments, including counseling. Our veterans have put their lives on the line for this country; we must give them the treatment they need and the treatment they have earned.

"The Bedford VA clinic, in my district, is one of the lowest prescribers of opiates in the country. Part of this investigation is to study not just what is going wrong, but to learn from the successes and best practices from facilities like Bedford."

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