Proposed Medicare Changes to Limit Opioid Prescribing
by Chad KollasOn February 1, 2018, the Centers for Medicare& Medicaid Services (CMS)published its Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Calendar Year 2019. Included in these proposed rules were several directives intended to reduce" Opioid Overutilization ” (see p. 202), including formal adoption of the “90 morphine milligram equivalent (MME) threshold cited in the CDC Guideline, which was developed by experts as the level that prescribers should generally avoid reaching with their patients (p. 203). ” CMS proposed “adding additional flags for high-risk beneficiaries who use ‘potentiator’ drugs (such...
Source: Pallimed: A Hospice and Palliative Medicine Blog - February 4, 2018 Category: Palliative Care Tags: CMS health policy kollas medicare opioids Source Type: blogs
Medical marijuana
There are few subjects that can stir up stronger emotions among doctors, scientists, researchers, policy makers, and the public than medical marijuana. Is it safe? Should it be legal? Decriminalized? Has its effectiveness been proven? What conditions is it useful for? Is it addictive? How do we keep it out of the hands of teenagers? Is it really the “wonder drug” that people claim it is? Is medical marijuana just a ploy to legalize marijuana in general?
These are just a few of the excellent questions around this subject, questions that I am going to studiously avoid so we can focus on two specific areas: why do patient...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - January 15, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Peter Grinspoon, MD Tags: Complementary and alternative medicine Drugs and Supplements Health Pain Management Source Type: blogs
The Other Opioid Epidemic
By HANS DUVEFELT, MD
“I made myself a hypodermic injection of a triple dose of morphia and sank down on the couch in my consulting-room….I told her I was all right, all I wanted was twenty-four hours’ sleep, she was not to disturb me unless the house was on fire.”
– Axel Munthe, MD, The Story of San Michele (1929)
When people in this country mention the opioid epidemic, most of the time it is in the context of addiction with its ensuing criminality and social deprivation, and the focus is on opioids’ medical complications like withdrawal, overdose and death.
But that is only one of the opioid epidemics we have...
Source: The Health Care Blog - January 2, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: John Irvine Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
One Barely Noticed Settlement by Pfizer Suggests the Futility of Polite Protests about Health Policy
A few days ago we noticed just one more marcher in theparade of legal settlements. But it was once again a huge health care corporation, and it had aspects that demanded attention.Pfizer Makes $94 Million Settlement of Allegations of Fraud to Delay Generic CompetitionA tinyitem in Becker ' s Hospital News on November 28, 2017, stated:Pfizer will pay $94 million to resolve allegations that it used fraudulent patents to delay generic competition for its anti-inflammatory drug Celebrex.The lawsuit, brought by 32 direct purchasers of Celebrex in April and certified a class action lawsuit in August, claimed Pfizer attempt...
Source: Health Care Renewal - December 3, 2017 Category: Health Management Tags: adverse effects Celebrex deception impunity legal settlements Pfizer restraint of competition Source Type: blogs
What A Concept!
I met with a pharmacist yesterday or a pharmacologist. It was great. When I had my annual physical with my primary care doctor in September, she was concerned about my medications and interactions.The pharmacologist went through my entire list of medications - prescription and OTC - and asked why I was taking each one. Then she went through and looked up possible interactions with them. She gave me some advice which I found very helpful.Because I am on Prilosec for GERD from a sliding hiatal hernia, I need to take it in the morning, 30 minutes after my thyroid medication and then wait another 30 minutes before eating. I wa...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - November 21, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: doctors medical advice medications prescriptions Source Type: blogs
Why Did I Feel So Bad?
I have good days and bad days. Little changes, like a poor night ' s sleep, can cause me problems for a few days. I realize that. Forgetting medication can really mess me up. Last winter I had a horrible cold and forgot to take my Lyrica for a few days. Then I started feeling even worse - the Lyrica hangover.... But then I figured it out and went back on it and felt better instantly.I have been feeling bad off and on all week but mostly with in reason. Until yesterday. I woke up achy and sore. I didn ' t sleep well because I couldn ' t get comfortable. I had a throbbing headache. My hands were really sore on Friday - I cou...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - September 3, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: brain cells pain levels pain management Source Type: blogs
A hidden reason for electronic prescribing of controlled substances
As of July 1, pharmacies in Maine cannot honor paper or telephone prescriptions for controlled substances, from OxyContin down to Valium, Lyrica, and Tylenol with codeine.
EPCS, or electronic prescribing of controlled substances, is a double security step in the prescription process built into EMRs, electronic medical records. It involves another password entry and the use of one-time passwords from a small number generator issued to each prescriber.
It has been said that this will prevent fraudulent prescriptions via phone or on stolen prescription pads, as well as altering of legitimate prescriptions.
Continue reading .....
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - July 18, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/a-country-doctor" rel="tag" > A Country Doctor, MD < /a > Tags: Meds Medications Pain management Source Type: blogs
Taxing Drug Price Spikes: Assessing The Potential Impact
On March 29, 2017, senior Democrats introduced comprehensive legislation (titled the Improving Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs Act) in the House and Senate aimed at lowering prescription drug costs and improving transparency.
The 129-page bill contains several popular provisions that could help drive its passage or could reappear in a future bipartisan attempt to repair or replace the Affordable Care Act.
One such provision is section 202, which establishes an excise tax on drugs with price increases exceeding the inflation rate. The amount of the tax penalty would depend on the size of the price increase. It is mo...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - May 12, 2017 Category: Health Management Authors: Thomas Hwang and Aaron Kesselheim Tags: Costs and Spending Drugs and Medical Innovation Insurance and Coverage Medicaid and CHIP Medicare Payment Policy Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry drug price spikes excise tax on drugs Improving Access to Affordable Pres Source Type: blogs
Did Big Pharma BUY Big Media?
Healthcare is at the top of the list of societal problems in the U.S.
Healthcare interactions are unsatisfying to most people, costs are out of control and cost every American nearly $10,000 per person per year while bleeding 17.5% of GDP, more than any other nation on earth for a system that ranks low or last in quality compared to other developed countries. For a problem as big as healthcare, big enough to cripple the entire economy in addition to bankrupting more and more Americans, you would think that media reporting would be filled with debate, criticisms, and in-depth coverage about the problems in healthcare.
But...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - May 2, 2017 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Undoctored abc bias big pharma cbs cnn drug industry fox gluten grains health healthcare illness media nbc pharmaceutical tv wheat Source Type: blogs
Medications that Increase the Risks of Falling
Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries for adults 65 and older, and research suggests that those taking four or more medications are at an even greater risk than those who don ’t.ByAlzheimer's Reading RoomWhat ’s the Difference Between Alzheimer’s and DementiaHow to Test Your Memory for Alzheimer's and DementiaHow to Get Answers To Your Questions About Alzheimer's and Dementia“Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries for adults 65 and older, and research suggests that those taking four or more medications are at an even greater risk than those who don’t – perhap...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - February 1, 2017 Category: Neurology Tags: alzheimer's care care of dementia patients dementia care health help alzheimer's help with dementia care medications falls Prescription Medications Risks risk of falling senior care Source Type: blogs
Making The Change
Okay, I am going to do it. I have been pondering changing my pain management doctor and I have decided today (I am finally going to remember to) make the call. While I personally like my old pain management doctor and think he is a decent guy, I question the care I have been receiving.I don ' t necessarily think it has been bad care. But I really want a new set of eyes on my pain management treatment. I want a new doctor to look at what I have and what hurts and then I want a new set of recommendations.After nearly seven years with the same pain management doctor, I feel he just adds more and more meds and doesn ' t necess...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - December 14, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: being a patient over treatment pain management uncertainty with doctors Source Type: blogs
MRI study shows how reducing carb intake can improve pain and bloating in people with IBS
A new study using MRI to check into the effects of carbohydrates in the diet on associated with patients with irritable bowel syndrome has found they are more sensitive to gas in their bowel.
Related Posts:Treatment for IBS With Severe ConstipationWhat is Irritable Bowel SyndromeLow FODMAP diet cuts irritable bowel syndrome symptomsPeppermint Oil and Fiber Can Help Treat Irritable Bowel…Pregabalin may lessen pain from irritable bowel syndrome,…The post MRI study shows how reducing carb intake can improve pain and bloating in people with IBS appeared first on My Irritable Bowel Syndrome Story. (Source: My Irri...
Source: My Irritable Bowel Syndrome Story - November 7, 2016 Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Ken Tags: IBS News Source Type: blogs
When a cough just won ’t go away
Who has never had a cough? I bet no one can raise their hand. We see this in clinic all the time. But chronic cough— one that lasts at least eight weeks — can be hard for patients to deal with and difficult for doctors to figure out.
In the October 20, 2016 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, lung experts describe a step-by-step approach doctors can use to help treat patients with chronic cough. Most often a prolonged cough is due to one of the “usual suspects.” But when it’s not, we have a long list of increasingly rarer conditions that we should run through and rule out. If it isn’t due to any of th...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - November 7, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Monique Tello, MD, MPH Tags: Cold and Flu Health Lung disease Source Type: blogs
The Future of Work Part I
Have you ever taken some time to think about what work will look like 5, 10 or even 20 years from now? If you haven’t, it is probably worth the effort because a changing work environment may have dramatic implications for how you are employed in the future. In these two posts, I want to talk about some of the trends I’m seeing and how they may play out in the coming years.
Outsourcing
Companies are getting better and better at spinning off specific business functions and letting them be handled by others. For example, many businesses can’t justify running payroll in-house. It is cheaper to hire a company...
Source: Productivity501 - September 20, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Mark Shead Tags: Misc Source Type: blogs
Memo To The President: The Pharmaceutical Monopoly Adjustment Act Of 2017
Since 1980, Congress has enacted many laws granting pharmaceutical manufacturers monopolies that no other industry enjoys. These extra monopolies were created with the expectation that monopoly profits would spur greater investment in research to find important new drugs. In fact, they have caused US consumers to pay higher prices for medicines for longer periods of time while making the pharmaceutical industry far more profitable than any other industry. I believe the next president and Congress should take several key steps, which I outline below, to roll back these costly, unnecessary monopolies.
The Current Landscape
C...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - September 13, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Alfred Engelberg Tags: Costs and Spending Drugs and Medical Technology Health Policy Lab Bayh-Dole Act Big Pharma Gilead Hatch-Waxman Act johnson & johnson pfizer Source Type: blogs
