MEDIA

Hawaii – State Cuts High Prescribers from Medicaid

Star Advertiser (Honolulu, HI) State cuts doctors from Medicaid Three were pulled from the program because of prescription volumes By Rob Perez Mar 27, 2012 The state terminated three Medicaid physicians who were prescribing relatively high amounts of potent psychiatric and pain drugs, while two other providers are under investigation by federal agencies, according to information provided to a U.S. senator. The actions against the five physicians came to light in a Feb. 23 letter that Dr. Kenneth Fink of the state Department of Human Services sent to U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, who has been focusing on Medicaid abuses [...]

TOP PRESCRIBERS – 7 Arizona doctors lose Medicaid contracts

Arizona Republic 7 Arizona doctors lose Medicaid contracts AHCCCS dismissals come amid prescription probe by Ken Alltucker Apr. 10, 2012 06:37 PM The state's Medicaid program said it has terminated the contracts of seven doctors who were top prescribers of powerful pain pills and mental-health prescription drugs. Their dismissals were made public as the result of an ongoing probe by U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, of drug-prescribing patterns in Medicaid programs across the country. Medicaid programs, which provide health care to the nation's poor, reimburse doctors and practitioners. Grassley's probe centers on health-care professionals who prescribe large amounts of pain [...]

TennCare blocks 3 top drug prescribers in fight against fraud, abuse

Tennessean TennCare blocks 3 top drug prescribers in fight against fraud, abuse Written by Duane W. Gang and Brian Haas Apr. 21, 2012 Three of TennCare’s top 10 prescribers of commonly abused mental health and pain drugs have been blocked from filling prescriptions through the state’s health-care program for the poor and uninsured. In a 22-page letter and report to a U.S. senator investigating the over-prescribing of prescription drugs in the federal Medicaid program, TennCare Director Darin Gordon outlined the steps under way to cut down on fraud and abuse, including blocking the three prescribers. “We agree that inappropriate prescribing [...]

A Possible Federal Solution to Psych Drugging Kids

Youth Today Rate at Which Psychiatric Meds Are Prescribed to Foster Youth Alarms GAO Administration could mull regulation of monitoring, prescribing practices December 01, 2011 by John Kelly The Obama Administration told states last week of its intention to find out more about their practices when it came to monitoring the use of psychotropic drugs with children in foster care. Today, the reason for the interest became apparent, and calls for federal regulation of use of the drugs on foster children could soon follow. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study released this morning recommended that the Department of Health and [...]

Off Label – practice

“Off label” refers to the fraudulent and illegal practice of prescribing drugs for treatments other than those for which they have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Off-label

North Carolina Scrutinizing Psych Drug Use in Children

Are some foster kids over-medicated? NC now looking to scrutinize how Medicaid dispensed to children North Carolina now has a program that will allow it to monitor children on Medicaid who are prescribed antipsychotic and other mood-altering medications. A+Kids was implemented after doctors and those in the mental health field started questioning whether the medications were being over prescribed. Hickory Daily Record By: Sharon McBrayer January 22, 2012 In the grocery store, a child goes through the produce isle picking up items and biting into them. When mom tries to stop him, he takes a bite out of her. Meanwhile, [...]

Dosed in juvie jail: Investigators focus on antipsychotic doses for kids and possible fraud

Palm Beach Post Dosed in juvie jail: Investigators focus on antipsychotic doses for kids and possible fraud By Michael LaForgia On alert for signs of fraud, state Attorney General Pam Bondi\'s office said months ago it was looking into the Medicaid billing habits of doctors who worked in Florida\'s juvenile jails. But the inquiry largely consisted of just one step, according to records and interviews: sending an email to the Florida agency that oversees Medicaid. At issue was whether the government insurer pays pharmacy bills for kids in state custody, a question first raised in May by a Palm Beach [...]

Psychs Avoid Penalties in Suits Against Medical Firms

ProPublica Doctors Avoid Penalties in Suits Against Medical Firms by Tracy Weber and Charles Ornstein Evidence sealed at settlement For concerned outsiders, the whistle-blower suits are often troublingly vague. Many don\'t provide enough specifics about physicians\' roles to assess their veracity. Some offer only worrisome hints of doctors\' misconduct. But the case against Lilly and Florida psychiatrist George Jerusalem, unsealed in 2009, was rich with detailed allegations. While purportedly receiving money and gifts from Lilly from 2001 to 2003, Jerusalem favored its antipsychotic Zyprexa, according to a case filed in federal court in Pennsylvania by a former Lilly sales representative. [...]

Drug makers pad doctors’ income

The News-Press (Fort Myers, Florida) By FRANK GLUCK Pharmaceutical companies have paid doctors in Lee and Collier counties almost $1.5 million for consulting, speaking, research and other work since 2009, according to newly released data by investigative news organization ProPublica. Top payments include more than $100,000 to Fort Myers physician Richard J. Weiss, largely in speaking and educational fees; about $168,000 to Naples anesthesia expert Dr. Joseph Pergolizzi - again, mostly in speaking/consulting fees; and $88,000 to Fort Myers psychiatrist Dr. Fred Schaerf and his clinic, primarily related to medical research. ProPublica, a nonprofit Web-based news outlet, has been collecting [...]