Medicare Won't Cover Some Anxiety Drugs

pricklypear · Jun 28, 2005

Hmmm, isn't Viagra OK? But benzos aren't. Doesn't make much sense to me.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Jun 28, 2005

AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

This is what drives me absolutely around the bend.....people pay into the Medicare system their whole working lives, and then the service isn't there for them when they need it because some government bureaucracy arbitrarily decides "oh, they can live without it, so we won't pay for it". :angryfire Makes me mad enough to spit nails, I tell you. :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

mattsmom81 · Jun 28, 2005

Guess they're listening to Dr Tom Cruise eh?

Nurse Ratched, RN · Jun 28, 2005

320 Medicaid patients to receive letters about prescriptions

By ANGELA GALLOWAY

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

State officials believe they've found a way to curtail taxpayer support of painkiller addictions and get some Medicaid patients into drug treatment.

The new efforts to identify excessive use of narcotics, antidepressants and other medications may be a step toward developing broad oversight of Medicaid prescriptions, said Dr. Jeffery Thompson, chief medical officer of the health program for the poor, which is funded by state and federal governments.

In the spring, the state notified hundreds of doctors caring for about 1,000 Medicaid clients that their patients may have been inappropriately taking multiple antidepressants, officials said.

Next week, the state plans to send letters to about 320 patients who were given 10 or more narcotic prescriptions in a single month in 2004, or seven or more prescriptions for six months last year, Thompson said.

Full story below:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/230027_medicaid25.html?source=rss

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2005

Related story:
State to curb excessive pill use
320 Medicaid patients to receive letters about prescriptions
By ANGELA GALLOWAY
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
State officials believe they've found a way to curtail taxpayer support of painkiller addictions and get some Medicaid patients into drug treatment.
The new efforts to identify excessive use of narcotics, antidepressants and other medications may be a step toward developing broad oversight of Medicaid prescriptions, said Dr. Jeffery Thompson, chief medical officer of the health program for the poor, which is funded by state and federal governments.
In the spring, the state notified hundreds of doctors caring for about 1,000 Medicaid clients that their patients may have been inappropriately taking multiple antidepressants, officials said.
Next week, the state plans to send letters to about 320 patients who were given 10 or more narcotic prescriptions in a single month in 2004, or seven or more prescriptions for six months last year, Thompson said.
Full story below:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/230027_medicaid25.html?source=rss

The problem I saw as a pharmacy tech was these folks were going to multiple doctors and not disclosing (or knowing to disclose) all the meds they were on. Many of these folks were polypharmacy gone berzerk - a major problem with many elderly patients. Some of them also weren't clear on the fact that they were supposed to stop taking Medication A before starting Medication B.

But I doubt this is what the Feds are actually looking at. They were probably also citing people like my father, who used 100 mcg fentanyl patches q.o.d. and also required Tylox (I cannot remember the dose) to control the pain from his peripheral neuropathy. It was the only combination that worked - and even it wasn't enough. I DOUBT they're taking into account chronic pain management.

Edited to note - I misread "Medicaid" as "Medicare". Sorry. :eek:

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jun 28, 2005

Won't cover anxiety drugs, but will cover Viagra for sex offenders.

Nice to know priorities are still in check....

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jun 28, 2005

Guess they're listening to Dr Tom Cruise eh?

LOL!!!!!!!!!!

pricklypear · Jun 28, 2005

God forbid if some older gentleman should be impotent, but it's OK for his wife to become sleep deprived, get confused wandering around in the middle of the night, trip over the rug and break her hip - all because she couldn't pay for her nightly .25 of Ativan.

ZZTopRN, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2005

Guess they're listening to Dr Tom Cruise eh?

Did you take your medicine today, Tom?

ZZTopRN, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2005

I understand that in CA Medicaid will no longer cover ANY drugs in 2006 and Medicare has a $3600 deductible?

Tell me I'm wrong. What are these low income people going to do?

grannynurse FNP student · Jun 28, 2005

I understand that in CA Medicaid will no longer cover ANY drugs in 2006 and Medicare has a $3600 deductible?
Tell me I'm wrong. What are these low income people going to do?

You are wrong.

Grannynurse :balloons: