September 23, 2010 - The Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA), a national leader in health promotion and disease prevention, will now provide free over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to employees. The recent Institute of Medicine Report, “Combating Tobacco Use in Military and Veteran Population,” recommended that, as part of a comprehensive tobacco control program, both the Department of Defense and Veteran’s Administration provide barrier-free access to smoking cessation treatment, including NRT to assist employees who want to quit tobacco use.

Veteran’s Administration’s Office of General Counsel has advised that the definition of preventive health services for employees, as defined under title 5 U.S.C. 7901, includes smoking cessation counseling and medications. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has determined that Federal agencies may use appropriated funds to provide NRT at no cost to employees.

VHA DIRECTIVE 2010-041 states, “Current VHA Employee Health Promotion data suggest the costs of providing NRT to employees are expected to be between $100,000 and $150,000 per year. The benefits, in recouped sick leave and improved role-modeling for employees, are substantial and far outweigh the cost”.

For More Information:
http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=2291