Tag:
prescription drugs
Latest Headlines
Latest Headlines
U.S. drug shortage may have a body count
A shortage of medicinal drugs in the United States may have caused 15 deaths, according to Time.
Insurers hesitant to cover costly anti-obesity drugs
Many insurers are reluctant to cover weight-loss drugs--and the reason why has changed.
The long arm of illegal internet pharmacies
Many illegal online outlets distribute dangerous and addictive drugs without a valid prescription or medical supervision, and this contributes to drug abuse, customer endangerment and increased healthcare costs.
Let's address the dark side of Medicare Advantage plans
Medicare Advantage plans are frequently lauded for providing high-quality insurance coverage. And they're widely popular among Medicare-eligible consumers. But there's a dark side to these plans as well. In fact, dozens of federal audit reports indicate that Medicare Advantage plans are making the same kind of deficiencies year after year, especially when it comes to inappropriately rejecting claims. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services found that in 61 percent of the audits, insurers turned down claims for prescription drugs when they shouldn't have. This is not something to take lightly. Many seniors take prescription medications, and many of those drugs are vital to their health and medical conditions. To potentially block their access to those drugs could prove extremely detrimental.
How do we control opioid abuse without hurting chronic pain patients?
Efforts to curb growing rates of prescription painkiller abuse--along with healthcare fraud and wasteful spending riding on their coattails--have made it harder for patients with chronic pain to get the medicines they need.
OIG: Drug companies must do more to stop Part D co-pay coupon abuse
Drug companies aren't doing enough to stop customers from using co-payment coupons to pay for Medicare Part D prescription drugs, according to a report by the Office of Inspector General.
Insurers seek to shift more Rx costs to members
Pa yers have faced allegations of discriminating against patients with certain health conditions; a violation under the Affordable Care Act. But some insurers are finding ways around the provision by shifting more of the cost of prescriptions onto consumers.
Cut prescription drug prices to achieve Medicare savings
Given the recent surge in pricey prescription drugs, lawmakers are calling for Medicare to offer rebates and negotiate prices to reap significant savings, according to a report released Wednesday by advocacy groups the Medicare Rights Center and Social Security Works.
Admitted and alleged drug scammers nabbed in 5 states
The challenges of controlling prescirption drug-related fraud are clear as these schemes continue to make news.
How to control prescription drug costs
Choosing costly prescription drugs over cheaper alternatives drains Medicare of $29 billion per decade, a Health Affairs study found.
