ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, October 3, 1996 TAG: 9610030018
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY STAFF WRITER
For now, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salem again will provide some over-the-counter medications free to outpatients, VA director John Presley said Wednesday.
Several weeks ago, the Salem facility informed veterans that after Sept.1 it no longer could give them nonprescription drugs. Prior to that, VA doctors gave patients "prescriptions" for such things as cough and cold medicines and even saline nasal spray so the patients could get the items for free from the hospital's pharmacy.
The VA has to provide the service to former prisoners of war and veterans with disabilities that were at least 50 percent service-connected, and it had extended the benefit to low-income service members who also are eligible for treatment at military hospitals.
"I've argued all along that if a doctor says you need something, we will give it," Presley said.
The service costs the Salem VA $60,000 to $65,000 a year, he said.
Even though other VA hospitals stopped the practice voluntarily, Presley said the Salem VA held out until ordered to quit by the regional director.
The decision touched off protests from veterans who argued that some of their illnesses require regular use of over-the-counter medications. Political pressure caused the turnaround, Presley said.
It could be only a temporary reprieve, however. The notion of trimming the drug benefit came out of a General Accounting Office report, which said the VA spent $165 million on over-the-counter drugs.The Department of Veterans Affairs is considering eliminating the benefit across the board and will make a decision by spring.
But even then, Presley said he expects the benefit to remain "just what we're doing."
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