BBSUR backs amendment to widen virtual opioid care for veterans

Breaking Barriers to Substance Use Recovery endorsed a House amendment to the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act that would expand virtual-based opioid treatment for veterans through the VA Community Care Program. The group says the change could help veterans overcome travel, transportation and privacy barriers that keep many from getting addiction care.

Why it matters: - Veterans with opioid use disorder often face practical barriers to care, including long travel distances, transportation gaps, work obligations and privacy concerns. - BBSUR says expanding virtual-based treatment could help more veterans start and stay in evidence-based care without waiting until a crisis. - The proposal could also improve treatment retention and reduce unnecessary emergency department visits.

What happened: - Breaking Barriers to Substance Use Recovery endorsed amendment #1238 to the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act. - The amendment was offered by Reps. Deborah Ross, Don Davis and Carol Miller. - The amendment would expand access to virtual-based opioid treatment for veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs Community Care Program. - Pete Gratale, founder of BBSUR, urged Congress to adopt the amendment and continue bipartisan work on treatment access.

The details: - BBSUR is a nonprofit coalition focused on expanding innovative opioid treatment options in communities with unmet medical need. - The coalition supports Virtual-Based Opioid Treatment, or VBOT, as a care model built around secure telemedicine, automation and patient engagement tools. - BBSUR says VBOT is designed to remove barriers that keep people with opioid use disorder from seeking or remaining in care. - The group says the amendment would create a pilot program that builds on the VA Community Care Program. - The proposal would also improve referral pathways and increase awareness among VA providers of telehealth options. - The amendment would study barriers veterans still face and measure success by treatment outcomes. - BBSUR says virtual care is not the right fit for every veteran, but should be available when it can safely expand access. - The coalition says the amendment would not replace the VA or lower standards of care. - BBSUR was founded in 2024 by The Recovery Platform, Triad Behavioral Resources and the North Carolina Medical Society Foundation. - The coalition says it brings together healthcare providers, technology companies and medical organizations. - More information is available at nomorebarriers.org.

Between the lines: - The endorsement frames virtual treatment as an access tool, not a substitute for in-person care. - The amendment reflects a broader push to use telehealth and referral changes to reach veterans who cannot realistically get to a clinic. - BBSUR is pitching the policy as both practical and lifesaving, which suggests the group sees speed and flexibility as central to addiction treatment access.

What's next: - Congress will decide whether to adopt the amendment into the FY27 defense bill. - If approved, the VA would move ahead with a pilot approach that could broaden virtual treatment access inside the Community Care Program. - BBSUR says it wants continued bipartisan work on treatment access for veterans.