Posted on 04/14/2016 4:05:29 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Some doctors say a quirk in the program is a dangerous incentive to prescribe potentially dangerous painkillers
Not long ago Dr. Bill Sullivan, an emergency-room physician in rural Spring Valley, Ill., refused to prescribe a potentially habit-forming painkiller to a patient that had requested it by name. That might seem like a good thing since opioid addiction has become a national epidemic. But in fact, as a result of reforms put in place under the Affordable Care Act, he may have put his hospital at financial risk.
As part of an Obamacare initiative meant to reward quality care, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is allocating some $1.5 billion in Medicare payments to hospitals based on criteria that include patient-satisfaction surveys. Among the questions: “During this hospital stay, how often did the hospital staff do everything they could to help you with your pain?” And: “How often was your pain well controlled?”
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
When society is more irresponsible, there is more reason for government to control society.
Liberals are the Kings and Queens of unintended consequences.......
when I was on 120 mgs of roxys a day, I was offered 1200 dollars for the 15 dollar prescription drug.
of course I said no. I told my friend in passing about my pain and what the doctor gave me and couldn’t BELIEVE what he offered.
But I don’t like ruining others’ lives and the jail thing, it’s just not me.
i’m not taking any now, as it didn’t help me and didn’t give me any high, for some reason. A good thing.
when big pharma pushes synthetic heroin past the FDA to treat every and any ache and pain, regulation is needed.
If I recall, elixirs used to have a kick to them and that was changed due to addiction.
The reason is that, when you take opioids for pain, you don't GET high.
I actually can't believe the amount of pure, unadulterated BS coming out of the mouths of our politicians about who and what is responsible for the "heroin crisis".
I’d say that prescribing large amounts of “soma” was an intended consequence, though.
Only thing that dents serious pain with me is Percocet, 500 mg.. I don’t ask for pain meds often. I have refused Morphine in the hospital over and over, when I was in for very serious issues. (Although it had a vasal dilating property, and that’s part of why they’re offering.) When I need pain meds, I use them until I can tolerate not being on them. Then the rest of them sit there in the cabinet. I don’t care if selling them would finance a dream life. I wouldn’t dream of it.
Money is nice. It’s mobility, and insulation from the shit. But it isn’t what makes me tick.
Now I guess it’s going to get harder to get them when I *do* need them.
Does anything ever improve? Is real liberty dead?
The road to hell is paved with ‘good intentions’.
Especially when the government induces the irresponsibility, right?
That is the strategy of orchestrated crisis. As Rahm Emmanuel said, never let a crisis go to waste.
I’m allergic to Hydrocodone/ Tramadol messes with my high blood pressure. I can take Acetominophen #3s with codeine. Try and get the doc/dentist to give you those is worse than pulling teeth!
To broke patients yes, to people paying like me at $430 a month they tried to prescribe me a $600 asthma inhaler. Told them what to do with the inhaler.
Yeah, the problem here is not our opioid addiction. The problem is that we have chronic pain sufferers who can’t get pain medication. You have no idea. Just try taking care of chronic pain patients some day, and look at the hell they go through trying to get some pain meds from their doctors. I don’t know who’s getting all the pills, but it sure as heck isn’t the ones who really need them. The rules are now so strict, that you have to be a real professional addict to get more than a week’s worth of pain meds. It’s a national disgrace, and these victims have no voice.
Morphine does nothing for me regarding pain. It makes me nauseated.
Toridol (?) works but is bad for the kidneys.
They push it at me. (Cardiac issues).
I can understand why.
Guess I’m lucky. ......or not. Lol. Im allergic to morphine and codeine. Percocet puts me straight to sleep and vicadin makes me sick at my stomach. If I ever need anything stronger than Tramadol I’m in deep trouble.
Had foot surgery 2 wks ago and doc gave me vicadin. I was so sick I was miserable. Was almost as bad as the pain.
“vicadin makes me sick at my stomach”
I wonder if they make enteric vicadin or 3#s, that dissolve in your intestine and not in your stomach? I take enteric aspirin.
I ended up in the ER last year courtesy of my wife’s mare who broke my ribs.The doctor saw that I was distress from the pain and gave me a morphine shot.No discernable relief from the pain.
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