Doctor Profits From Excessive Prescriptions to Medicaid Patients Med
Doctor Profits From Excessive Prescriptions to Medicaid Patients - Med...
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That year, paid more than $1.9 million to fill scripts for antipsychotics written by Merayo. Over the last three years, he was earning more than $100,000 in consulting and speaking fees from makers of the drugs he was prescribing, according to a database maintained by the news organization ProPublica. Photo by Getty Images Unscrupulous doctors pocket money from excessive drug prescriptions and leave taxpayers on the hook for the bill. But there's little evidence that all those prescriptions were needed. A review conducted by Florida health officials last year found cases where Merayo failed to document the reasons he prescribed drugs to patients and indicated that "90% of all recipients interviewed could not produce their antipsychotic medications." The state terminated Merayo's Medicaid license in June 2011. He could not be reached for comment. The situation is not unique, and it has legislators concerned. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, is considering "legislative proposals that would address the inappropriate and excessive administration of these dangerous [mental health] drugs," says spokeswoman Jill Kozeny. Meanwhile, Florida officials caution that large volume does not always suggest a problem. "Although a provider's number of prescriptions may be higher than other Medicaid prescribers, that does not necessarily mean there is anything improper regarding their prescribing," says Shelisha Coleman, a spokeswoman for the Florida Medicaid program.
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Michelle Diament is a frequent contributor to the AARP Bulletin.
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Doctor Profits From Excessive Prescriptions to Medicaid Patients
Taxpayers foot the bill for questionable drugs
For years, psychiatrist Huberto Merayo prescribed powerful drugs to thousands of patients at his Coral Gables, Fla., practice. In 2009 alone, he doled out more than 7,500 prescriptions to some 1,600 patients. And that cost taxpayers big-time.See also:
That year, paid more than $1.9 million to fill scripts for antipsychotics written by Merayo. Over the last three years, he was earning more than $100,000 in consulting and speaking fees from makers of the drugs he was prescribing, according to a database maintained by the news organization ProPublica. Photo by Getty Images Unscrupulous doctors pocket money from excessive drug prescriptions and leave taxpayers on the hook for the bill. But there's little evidence that all those prescriptions were needed. A review conducted by Florida health officials last year found cases where Merayo failed to document the reasons he prescribed drugs to patients and indicated that "90% of all recipients interviewed could not produce their antipsychotic medications." The state terminated Merayo's Medicaid license in June 2011. He could not be reached for comment. The situation is not unique, and it has legislators concerned. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, is considering "legislative proposals that would address the inappropriate and excessive administration of these dangerous [mental health] drugs," says spokeswoman Jill Kozeny. Meanwhile, Florida officials caution that large volume does not always suggest a problem. "Although a provider's number of prescriptions may be higher than other Medicaid prescribers, that does not necessarily mean there is anything improper regarding their prescribing," says Shelisha Coleman, a spokeswoman for the Florida Medicaid program.
Also of interest:
Michelle Diament is a frequent contributor to the AARP Bulletin.
Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures