Except that the DEA is systematically making it harder for doctors to prescribe pain killers. Patients with chronic pain conditions have to see a doctor every time the doctor writes a prescription for drugs that used to be routine. And doctors have to send patients for blood tests to make sure they have the drugs in their system, so they aren't selling them. All those visits and tests run up costs. And if doctors prescribe "too many" painkillers according to the DEA the doctors will find themselves under the gun, regardless of whether they are justifiable for those patients conditions.
Friend had 1 hip replacement prior to DUMBOCARE, second was after, night and day difference in treatment, rehab and pain management. This is a college educated woman who runs the TN chapter of Eagle Forum.
It’s not just the doctors. Have a friend whose Hubby is dieing from bladder cancer. It is in his bones and he is in tremendous pain. No hospice yet. Oncologist is giving him Fentenal Patches and morphine. He is taking more than doc prescribed so she called doc to get more. Doc wrote her a new scrip. The pharmacist told her ‘I’ll fill it this time but he’s taking to much. I won’t fill it again.’
This is a man who is dieing and the pharmacist threatened to not give him his pain meds!
You are absolutely correct about the Dr’s finding themselves under the gun for prescribing too many pain meds. My husband has had 4 major back surgeries [among other serious pain related issues]....been through the useless pain management....he WAS on a pain pill that helped but then the gov decided he shouldn’t get it anymore, so his Dr prescribed another pain med which works, but of course, he has to take more of them to do what the previous pill did by only taking one. His Dr told him to please try to conserve his pain pills as much as he can because the day will come when they wont let her prescribe any pain pills to him anymore. My husband is NOT a person who abuses narcotics either. It took his Dr over 4 yrs to talk him into accepting a prescription for Oxycotin because he had heard so many stories about it being highly addictive. What a sad world we are living in.....when older folks can’t get anything to help with their pain.