HR2623-119

What This Bill Does

The Innovative Therapies Centers of Excellence Act adds a new title 38 section requiring VA to designate at least five Department medical facilities as innovative therapies centers of excellence. Subject to appropriations, VA must establish and operate centers at those locations with appropriate geographic distribution. A facility can be designated only if a peer review panel finds its proposal meets the highest scientific and clinical merit standards and VA determines the facility has or can develop affiliations with an accredited medical school providing innovative therapy education, an accredited school of psychiatry, and an accredited school of social work; can attract creative scientists; has an advisory committee including veterans and medical and research representatives; can evaluate center activities; can coordinate education, clinical, and research activities across VA centers; can develop a provider consortium to expand innovative therapies across VA facilities; and can create a national repository of data on health services delivered to veterans seeking innovative therapies. The Under Secretary for Health must create an expert peer review panel, report annually after two years to veterans committees, and allocate both the $30 million annual authorization for research and education and other VA medical services or research funds as appropriate. Covered conditions include anxiety, bipolar disorder, chronic pain, depression, Parkinson's disease, PTSD, substance use disorder, and other conditions designated by the Under Secretary; innovative therapies include MDMA, 5-MeO-DMT, ibogaine, ketamine, psilocybin, and other designated therapies.

Who Benefits and How

Veterans with PTSD, depression, chronic pain, substance use disorder, and other covered conditions benefit from VA centers focused on innovative therapies. VA medical facilities benefit from center designation, research and education funding, national coordination, and provider consortium development. VA researchers benefit from peer-reviewed centers, creative scientist participation, data repositories, and annual findings reports. Medical residents and trainees benefit from affiliations with medical, psychiatry, and social work schools that teach innovative therapies.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Department of Veterans Affairs must designate at least five centers, ensure geographic distribution, operate centers, and report annually. The Under Secretary for Health must create and manage an expert peer review panel and allocate appropriated medical and research funds. VA medical facilities seeking designation must meet competitive scientific, clinical, affiliation, evaluation, consortium, and repository requirements. Federal taxpayers bear $30 million per fiscal year in authorized support for research and education activities.

Key Provisions

• Requires VA to designate at least five innovative therapies centers of excellence at Department medical facilities.
• Requires peer review, geographic distribution, school affiliations, advisory committees, evaluation capability, provider consortiums, and a national data repository.
• Authorizes $30 million per fiscal year for research and education activities at the centers.
• Requires annual reports on center activities, key findings, and recommendations for improving innovative therapy delivery to veterans.