Limbaugh: Keep my records private

CNN ^ | December 16, 2003 | Susan Candiotti and Rich Phillips

[mcg1969]

Embattled radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is asking a Palm Beach County, Florida, court to keep his medical records sealed from prosecutors investigating whether he illegally purchased prescription painkillers.

The records were seized from two of his doctors' offices last month. The search warrants itemizing what was seized was filed in court December 4.

Two more search warrants were obtained but not executed, two law enforcement sources said.

Limbaugh's move came as prosecutors were getting ready to file a motion of their own to examine the records, as required by Florida law, prosecutors said.

[Celantro]

Yeah. Look, as a Rush fan and as an advertiser who has used Rush for advertising, the fact that Rush is a law-breaker and a drug addict deminishes him tremendously, to my mind. How 'bout this, Rush: "Just Say No".

PS: Yes, his rates were definitely "Confiscatory".

[Always Right]

Doctor shopping is fraud.

Doctor shopping is not disclosing previoius prescriptions to the new doctor, which is not fraudulant. It is non-disclosure. Actually, anyone who switches doctors could inadvertantly commit this felony.

[Always Right]

So why try to hide your medical records if they could prove you innocent ? HHmmmmm?

Without the evidence they have no case. If he loses this arguement, then he could go to court where he would have to convince the court the drugs were for different purposes. So yes it still makes sense to argue to conseal the records.

[george wythe]

Prescription fraud involves misrepresentation,fraud, forgery, subterfuge, or deception.

Failing to disclose having prescriptions from another doctor for the similar drugs is misrepresentation, subterfuge and deception.

Those questionaires that patients fill out at the doctor's can be used against them.

That's the law in Florida.

If you want to stick your head in the sand, that's your right.

Any person who gets charged in doctor shopping for withholding information is also a candidate for prescription fraud in Florida. At least, that's the way it's been done since last year when doctor shopping became a felony.

[LittleJoe]

Rush is lucky we have strict drug laws and enforcement. If not he wouldn't be seeking help

That's just not true. The stigma of having a drug abuse record keeps most abusers from seeking help. Rush tried to get help before he got into trouble. The majority of those who seek help do it on their own. Same as alcohol.

When we criminalize a personal problem, we turn a law abiding man into a criminal. Rush's drug problem is his own. It is not up to you or I to decide for him what personal problem he should be punished for.

What happens if we win the War On Drugs. Shall we take on religion next? Why don't we prosecute Christians? We already know that the clergy is rife with child molestors, yet we do nothing. We need to protect our children. We need a War On Religion!

Sound crazy? Of course it does, but that is exactly what we are doing with drug prohibition.

Keep in mind that Hitler ran on an anti crime platform. Who would have thought that all Jews would become criminals. The propaganda used against the Jews was identical to the propaganda used in the War On Drugs.

[joesbucks]

I thought in his going away speech he indicated that

HE WOULD CO-OPERATE FULLY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.

As Rush would say......HMMMMMMM??

[Always Right]

Any person who gets charged in doctor shopping for withholding information is also a candidate for prescription fraud in Florida. At least, that's the way it's been done since last year when doctor shopping became a felony.

The link you posted does not neccessarily bear that out. All the cases have discrepencies on between the counts of Doctor Shopping and fraud. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Without more information, it is uncertain what the fraud entails. I think it is more likely that these people were duplicating the prescrtiption since most were in the drug trafficing business also. It is hard to make money trafficing drugs if you have the overhead of a doctor's visit to pay for each time. I am not putting my head in the sand, I am just using logic. Do you have additional information?

[VRWC_minion]

The fact is that Rush was addicted when he had to come clean and was not seeking help. If it were not for the laws and their enforcment he would still be taking the drugs.

As for the stigma, you contradict yourself. He did seek help but his heart wasn't in it until the threat of jail became real.

For rush the laws are a god send.

[tahiti]

"Sounds like a HIPPA violation to me."

On the contrary. On all of the HIPPA forms my doctor's have been giving me to sign all state they will disclose my medical records to "law enforcement."

I refused to sign the documents. They are all still treating me.

[VRWC_minion]

Actually, anyone who switches doctors could inadvertantly commit this felony.

no, all criminal cases require intent.

[MinuteGal]

Rush-haters everywhere are already setting up the MO if Rush is found not guilty or if the case is thrown out of court, i.e. "He got off because of all his money".

The fact that he was really not guilty will matter not a whit to the ditzo-heads.

Leni

[jerseygirl]

Interesting. Couldn't someone charged with "doctor-shopping", (and I'm assuming that this law covers only multiple controlled substance prescriptions- not, for example, antibiotics) simply allege that the new doctor did not record their medications correctly?

[Big Horn]

He was not selling and causing other people to get addicted.

[Big Horn]

He was not selling and causing other people to get addicted.

[LittleJoe]

The fact is that Rush was addicted when he had to come clean and was not seeking help.

He had tried treatment twice before this came out. It was the fear of being discovered that kept him from getting the right treatment.

If it were not for the laws and their enforcment he would still be taking the drugs.

Not true. If it were not for the fear of the drug laws he may have gotten the trweatment he needed sooner...Before he lost his hearing.

As for the stigma, you contradict yourself. He did seek help but his heart wasn't in it until the threat of jail became real.

It does not matter where his heart is. He is an addict. His treatment is just beginning. His doctors will give him drugs to help him through it. There is no cure. Some people get addicted to drugs, alcohol, sex or love. Others can use heroin, coke or booze without getting addicted. Addiction is part of the human condition. Only in the heart of an evil tyrant is addiction a crime. He is lucky to be well off enough to afford it. If he were poor there would be no help available.

For rush the laws are a god send

Don't blame God for the laws imposed by evil men.

[VRWCmember]

What's that?

Have you not been to a doctor or pharmacy lately? HIPPA is the Health Insurance Portability and Privacy Act. It also requires all sorts of new forms, showing your insurance card and ID every time you go to the doctor or get a prescription filled. It also appears to make children's medical records and information private even from their parents.

[VRWCmember]

What I was saying is that this violation of the privacy of Rush's medical records under HIPPA.

[lewislynn]

HE WOULD CO-OPERATE FULLY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.

Co-operating doesn't mean you have to give up any of your rights.

[gitmo]

Rush's doctors issued statements denying there was any relationship between his drug addiction and his deafness.

[Eva]

I'm supposing that someone has been leaking information from Rush's medical records because I saw a thread on DU about Rush having had a "butt cyst" removed. Now unless, that is just a euphemism for something gross, I figure someone has taken a peek inside private records.