PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 14, 2008
Military Pain Care Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretaries of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services and the Surgeon General of the United States to develop and implement a pain care initiative in all military health care facilities. Requires the initiative to ensure that all active and retired military personnel and dependents receiving treatment in military health care facilities: (1) are assessed for pain at the time of admission or initial treatment, and periodically thereafter, using a professionally recognized pain assessment tool or process; and (2) receive appropriate pain care consistent with recognized means for assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and management of acute and chronic pain, including, as appropriate, access to specialty pain management services.
Requires: (1) Department of Defense (DOD) contracts for medical care for military retirees, dependents, and survivors to include the provision of appropriate care for the treatment of pain; and (2) a Comptroller General study on the adequacy of pain care in DOD health care facilities, services, and programs.
People & committees
Rep. Loebsack, David [D-IA-2] · D–IA
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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