There are now a number of laws in place to stem the flow of opioid painkillers. Proposed prescribing guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) call on primary care physicians to only use opioids as a last resort. If prescription opioids must be used, writing short-term low dose prescription would be...Read More

Turning the lens on Medicare patients and opioid use In September 2011 we wrote about the increase in the number of elderly who become addicted to opioids and, in turn, require substance abuse treatment. Now a new observational study has reviewed Medicare records to try and determine how, not why, the elderly are coming to...Read More

The prescription drug abuse problem in America has become out of control and the cost of dealing with the problem is more than anyone might of thought. The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud reports that Medicare and private health insurance companies pass on the cost of prescription drug abuse to consumers by raising their premiums. The...Read More