article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Back and Spinal Therapy Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) One in five members of the Armed Forces who were wounded and evacuated from Afghanistan during the summer and early fall of 2009 suffered a spinal injury, and at least 14 of such members were left paralyzed or with loss of sensation. (2) In Afghanistan, members of the Armed Forces routinely carry up to 33 percent more than the suggested maximum weight and up to nearly 75 percent of a member's own body weight-- routinely hefting combat gear that can exceed 120 pounds, causing large numbers of spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and pain. (3) The use of massive improvised explosive devices by insurgents against heavily armed mine resistant ambush protected vehicles has significantly increased the number of spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and pain. (4) Advances in both body armor protection and medical treatment have drastically decreased the number of deaths among deployed members of the Armed Forces, but there has been an increase in the number of members with spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and long-term pain. (5) Members of the Armed Forces returning from Iraq are more likely to suffer lingering, debilitating injuries from back and musculoskeletal pain than from battle wounds, according to statistics compiled by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. (6) Diagnoses of ruptured spinal discs, compressed discs, degenerative disc disease, and myofascial pain syndrome are common in members of the Armed Forces returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. (7) Spinal and back injuries are the most expensive musculoskeletal disorder to treat. (8) Certain facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs offer outstanding non-invasive technologies for treating spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries as well as any accompanying mental health issues. (9) Traditional medical approaches to spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries typically involve a combination of long-term medication, surgery, and short-term physical therapy. (10) Using non-invasive techniques to treat veterans with spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries can improve the health outcomes for such veterans and drastically reduce the long-term costs of care for such veterans by breaking the cycle of expensive surgery followed by long-term pain medication that often leads to addiction, depression, anxiety, and weight gain. (11) Non-invasive techniques that are not widely available in medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, including manual physical therapy, core strengthening and stabilization therapy, water exercise therapy, group exercise therapy, and pain management therapy, should be evaluated in an evidence-based medicine framework to assess their effectiveness. SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VETERANS WITH NON-INVASIVE TECHNIQUES FOR SPINAL, BACK, AND MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES. (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a pilot program to-- (1) provide covered veterans with non-invasive techniques to treat spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and pain; and (2) use an evidence-based medicine framework to assess the effectiveness of such non-invasive techniques. (b) Scope.-- (1) Size.--The pilot program shall include a representative sample of covered veterans that is of sufficient size for the Secretary to determine-- (A) the effectiveness and feasibility of providing veterans with non-invasive techniques to treat spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and pain; and (B) the unique considerations that exist with respect to providing such treatment-- (i) to female veterans; (ii) to veterans of various ages; and (iii) to veterans located in various regions of the United States, including both urban and rural locations. (2) Preference.--In selecting covered veterans to participate in the pilot program, the Secretary shall give preference to covered veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation New Dawn. (c) Administration.--In administering the pilot program, the Secretary shall-- (1) determine the type of non-invasive technique to provide to a covered veteran; (2) determine the effect of allowing self-referral by a veteran to receive non-invasive techniques compared with requiring a veteran to receive a referral from a physician for non-invasive techniques; and (3) ensure the use of telehealth technology to provide covered veterans who reside in rural locations (as determined by the Secretary) with non-invasive techniques to treat spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and pain. (d) Partnership.-- (1) University.--In administering the pilot program, the Secretary shall seek to enter into an agreement with a university affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out the pilot program. (2) Selection.--In entering into an agreement with a university under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure that the individuals who treat covered veterans with non-invasive techniques for spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and pain-- (A) are trained to-- (i) effectively treat such veterans; and (ii) recognize the unique experiences of such veterans, including experiences related to serving in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation New Dawn; and (B) use best practices and technologies with respect to the non-invasive technique being used to treat such veterans. (e) Duration.--The pilot program shall begin not later than March 1, 2011, and shall continue for two years. (f) Reports.-- (1) Initial report.--Not later than June 1, 2012, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate a report on the pilot program, including-- (A) an analysis of the effectiveness and cost- effectiveness of each non-invasive technique provided under the pilot program; (B) an analysis of how the Secretary would incorporate non-invasive techniques to treat spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and pain at medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs; (C) the amount of cost-savings, if any, created by providing veterans with non-invasive techniques to treat spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and pain; (D) a comparison of the non-invasive techniques provided under the pilot program with other methods used by the Secretary to treat spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and pain; and (E) recommendations of the Secretary with respect to-- (i) continuing or expanding the pilot program; and (ii) any legislation or other actions to improve treating veterans with spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and pain. (2) Final report.--Not later than June 1, 2013, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate a report containing updated information to the report submitted under paragraph (1). (g) Definitions.--In this section: (1) The term ``covered veteran'' means a veteran who-- (A) has a service-connected spinal, back, or musculoskeletal injury; or (B) is eligible for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care by virtue of section 1710(e)(1)(D) of title 38, United States Code. (2) The term ``non-invasive techniques'' means methods of treatment for spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and pain other than surgery, including-- (A) manual physical therapy, core strengthening and stabilization therapy, water exercise therapy, group exercise therapy, and pain management therapy; (B) such methods (including recreational therapy) used by the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center of the Department of Veterans Affairs located in Palo Alto, California, and the mindfulness based stress reduction program of the Puget Sound Health Care System of the Department of Veterans Affairs that the Secretary determines to have been successful; and (C) such other methods not widely available in medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
summary: Veterans Back and Spinal Therapy Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a two-year pilot program to: (1) provide covered veterans with non-invasive techniques to treat spinal, back, and musculoskeletal injuries and pain; and (2) use an evidence-based medicine framework to assess the effectiveness of such techniques. Includes as a covered veteran one who: (1) has a service-connected spinal, back, or musculoskeletal injury; or (2) is eligible for VA hospital or nursing home care or medical services by reason of active duty in a theater of combat operations during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War. Requires the Secretary, in selecting program participants, to give a preference to veterans who served in Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, or New Dawn.