Some Beneficiaries Misusing Medicare Rx Drug Program
Thousands of beneficiaries have been exploiting the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit program to obtain large quantities of painkillers, according to a Government Accountability Office investigation. About 170,000 Medicare beneficiaries -- fewer than 2% of total enrollees -- received prescriptions from five or more physicians for 14 frequently misused medications in 2008, according to the report. "Medicare beneficiaries may be seeking several medical practitioners to support or disguise an addiction" or to sell to others, the report stated.
- "Govt Probe Uncovers Drug Abusers 'Doctor Shopping' To Score Large Quantities of Painkillers" (Alonso-Zaldivar, AP/Washington Post, 10/3).
- "Report Warns on Prescription Drug Abuse" (Pear, New York Times, 10/3).