CVS: no longer will bill Workman’s Comp.. it takes them too long to get an approval or denial

Please help share since
cvs has been tagged in this. Let them know they can not silence all of us! My hat is off to Larry Powell who no matter what tells it like it is!!!

Nancy Overton Chance to CVS Pharmacy 1/25/18 9:49 pm

Today I received a call from the CVS Pharmacy on Elk Grove Florin that our family has been using since we moved to the area almost 20 years ago informing me that they no longer will take Richard’s Workers Compensation insurance, it takes them too long to get an approval or denial. They don’t care that they have received THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of dollars for the prescriptions from workers comp over the past 11 years. The assistant pharmacy manager explained that they have to be on hold for 1/2 an hour sometimes and then they get a denial and it is just a waste of their time. Waste of their time were her exact words. And people stand in line and get upset. I’m not sure why I had to stand in a long line all those times to pick up Richard’s medication since it was ready and no one had to be on hold getting approval for it,

Believe me, I know California’s Workers Comp system is horrendous but so is being treated so badly by a business after being a such a long time loyal customer. CVS Pharmacy

Kim Jemmings
You need to go to Bel Air at Elk Grove Florin and Calvine Pharmacy…they are awesome…very helpful…I have never had a problem and I have been going there for 15 years…

Nancy Overton Chance
Thank you Kim! I am so frustrated right now !!

Vance Lyons
yes, that Bel Air Is the best!.

Nicole Lowe
They have been problematic for awhile now, assholes. Be happy to be done with them and I would write a complaint letter of discrimination!

Nancy Overton Chance
Oh I am believe me!!

Nicole Lowe
I know you are!!
Manage
Like · Reply · 1d
Nicole Lowe
Nicole Lowe

Charles Black
Gotta vote with our dollars, Nancy. Economic boycotts rock!

Joe Boyd
Terrible but I can believe it. CVS is also going to start changing a lot of things. They have a huge monopoly on pharmaceuticals and they just purchased anthem insurance (or another company) they will start having medical offices at stores before long.

Louise Oxley
Absolutely ridiculous!

Donna Boyd
I would go to the top. That is full of it. Good luck !!!!

Nancy Overton Chance
Please share my post Donna Boyd I have tagged them in it now and I want people to know how CVS Pharmacy treats their long time customers.
·
Donna Boyd
i did !!!!!

Nancy Overton Chance
Thank you !!

Karen Mosley
I know we are in a different type of area, but are there any smaller non corporate type of pharmacy’s? We are so lucky to have the TMWIHC clinic and pharmacy. They really care and bend over backwards to help. I agree with Donna Boyd, complain to the top. Good Luck!

Russ Whipple
We use Walgreens Nancy…great service!

Donna Boyd
They are, I used them for a while and we moved and all they had was CVS in our area.

Liz Padilla Lively
I understand your frustration, Nancy. My experience this week with Kaiser ER, left me disgusted and appalled. I’ve been with Kaiser since I was 18 years old, but they could care less. It’s disheartening when the medical field has absolutely NO compassion. (Not all in the medical field. It’s a systemic issue that is making good people lose compassion.)

Louise Oxley
Insurance company’s SUCKS!
ALWAYS HAVE AND ALWAYS WILL.
My sister worked for many, still does & makes a fortune selling policys

Kelly Rhodes
That’s not right. If all providers could refuse to service clients because their insurance takes too long to pay or deny then everyone would be screwed.

Kelly Rhodes
I’ve worked in health care and workers comp billing specifically and I know how much time goes into billing, collecting and appeals and it’s time consuming for the the doctors but that isn’t the patients fault.

Kandi Ramsey
Wow that’s ridiculous that they would talk to you like that. Sorry you guys have to go through so much

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

30 U.S. children had died from the flu between October 16, 2017, and January 13, 2018.

North Carolina Child Dies From Flu Hours After Paramedics Tell Parent’s She’ll Be Okay

http://www.newsweek.com/north-carolina-child-dies-flu-hours-after-paramedics-tell-parents-shell-be-788843

A 6-year-old girl in North Carolina died of the flu just hours after paramedics visited her home. 

Muth, of Cary, North Carolina was diagnosed with flu last Tuesday. She was treated with Tamiflu to relieve her symptoms and told to stay hydrated, Fox News reported. By Friday, the young girl’s symptoms had not improved and her parents called an ambulance after her labored breathing began to worry them. The paramedics reportedly advised Muth’s parents that she had typical flu symptoms that should clear up without any further medical intervention. 

emily Emily passed away despite being treated for the flu. Photo Courtesy of GoFundMe

Muth’s parents took the paramedic’s advice into consideration and decided against sending the child to the hospital. “They’re the medical personnel. I trust what they know. And they said she was fine,” Emily’s mother Rhonda Muth told ABC11.

But few hours later, her parents noticed that she had stopped breathing. “She was breathing a little bit heavier. And all of sudden she just raised up and went back down. I went, ‘Emily, Emily.’ And I noticed she wasn’t breathing,” added Rhonda, ABC 11 reported.  

Although paramedics returned to the premise and attempted to give Muth CPR, it was too late and the child never recovered, Patch reported.

Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that 30 U.S. children had died from the flu between October 16, 2017, and January 13, 2018. With Muth’s death, this figure rises further. This year’s flu has been lethal partly due to the strain of virus, Reuters reported, which is linked to higher rates of death and severe illness. And the young and elderly are always at greatest risk for developing far more serious flu symptoms.

Tamiflu is an FDA-approved one-time treatment for flu symptoms such as fever, aches, chills, and overall tiredness. The medication is available by prescription only once an official flu diagnosis has been made. However, as stressed by the Tamiflu official website, the drug is not a replacement for the flu vaccination and this should still remain a top priority.

Muth did not receive her flu vaccination this year, and her mother and father are now urging other parents to vaccinate their children. There is also a GoFundMe set up to help cover costs associated with the child’s death. 

CDC has guidelines for recommendations on everyone getting a flu shot… just like they have GUIDELINES for opiate dosing guidelines..  If a prescriber ignores the CDC’s guidelines opiate dosing guidelines and/or the pt abusing/overdosing opiates and OD”s …

This past week the DEA/DOJ indicted a doctor over prescribing opiates without a valid medical necessity and no mention of any OD deaths from his practice

Munster doctor indicted for allegedly over-prescribing painkillers

This little girl died because NO ONE insisted on  following the CDC guidelines on getting a annual flu shot.  Would this little girl still be alive if she had received a flu shot?  There is no guarantee that would be the case, but no one will every know otherwise now. At this point in time, it would appear that no one is going to be held the least little bit responsible for this death.  If parent(s) do something that would harm a child or cause death, they would have most likely thrown in jail… I guess that there are certain limitations as to what constitutes child abuse/neglect  ?

 

 

VA reps to discuss impact of opioid reduction on suicides during summit

http://wjhl.com/2018/01/16/va-reps-to-discuss-impact-of-opioid-reduction-on-suicides-during-summit/

WASHINGTON, DC (WJHL) – Several Veterans Affairs representatives are expected to speak about the impact of opioid discontinuation on suicides during the National Prescription Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in April.

According to the summit’s agenda, those VA employees will discuss, among other things, Department of Veterans Affairs’ data that shows, “In two sets of fiscal years — 2010-2011 and 2013-2014 —

opioid discontinuation was not associated with overdose mortality but was associated with increased suicide mortality.

A VA spokesperson confirmed the federal agency’s involvement with the analysis and summit.

“VA will be participating in the 2018 National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit, where representatives will discuss this preliminary data, which must still undergo peer review before being considered final,” Curt Cashour said.

As we reported Monday, the Department of Veterans Affairs Recently released data that shows Mountain Home VA Medical Center reduced opioid prescribing by 49% between 2012 and 2017.

Chief of Staff Dr. David Hecht said Mountain Home VA continues to monitor patients for any serious side effects.

“Any time we reduce these medications, we want to do them in a safe environment whether it’s as an in-patient or close monitoring as an outpatient,” Dr. Hecht said. “Reduction of these medications can have significant side effects, so we follow them closely.”

Dr. Hecht said just under 3,900 veterans at Mountain Home were prescribed opioids at the end of 2017, which is around 10% of the total patient population.

There is always that ONE IN A MILLION happenings ?

Email from pt:

Hello Steve: I have been prescribed Stadol nasal spray 10 mg (which is 2 bottles, 5mg each) every 30 days for the past 3-4 years with no problems. I am disabled, with Medicare/ Medicaid because of fibromyalgia, cronic back pain, migraines, colitis and IBD.  I went to a CVS in Lakeland,  Fla, instead of the CVS in Bartow, that I regularly patronize, about 20 minutes away. The pharmacist in the Lakeland CVS told me she would only fill one bottle of this medication, but filled the correct amount (2bottles) as the prescription was written, however, on the refill portion she put that a refill or new script would not be filled until 2/5/2018 which is well past the 30 days that it is normally filled. I went to my doctor yesterday 1/22/2018 and he gave me a new prescription to be filled yesterday because the last prescription was filled on 12/21/2018 which is over 30 days. When I took the prescription to CVS in Bartow, where I normally go, the pharmacy tech put the prescription in the computer, but got a message from the computer that due to a “Regulatory”  message that said the prescription would not be filled until 2/5/2018 or 2/6/2018. She said it was not an insurance issue, that her hands were tied and there was nothing she could do. I find it ironic that the date that the other pharmacist put in the system is the same date this “Regulatory” message showed. I need my medication and I have researched this problem for several hours to no avail. My question to you is, if I went back to the pharmacist who screwed up the date, do I have the right to question why she put a date clearly past the 30 days allowed and have her change it because it was her error and bring the fact that this error is a violation under the ADA laws, or is there something I can do by calling the State of Florida Regulatory office? The dosage amount for one bottle of this medication is 15 doses, that is why my Doctor prescribes 2 bottles so I have 30 doses per month. I hope you can advise me what to do, because I cannot function without this medication and cannot wait until 2/5/2018 to get it. My insurance will pay for the prescription as written, so it’s not an insurance issue. Thank you for your prompt response in this matter. I look forward to hearing from you. My cell phone number is xxx.xxx.xxxx. Please call me or respond to this email as expeditiously as possible.  I appreciate it very much.


My advice to this pt:

I am not familiar with CVS software system but from what you have said.. either the pharmacist put in the days supply for the 2 bottles as 45 days +/- rather than 30 days. She could also have put a “note/memo” in your file that showed up when you went back to the store that you normally use.   I suspect that it is a internal CVS regulatory issue. .. their policies…

You can go back and talk to the pharmacist in Lakeland, but I doubt if she will change her mind.. otherwise she would have not done it in the first place.

I would suggest that you find yourself a independent pharmacy ..here is a website that will help you find one by zip code http://www.ncpanet.org/home/find-your-local-pharmacy

transfer all your medication from CVS… they don’t deserve your patronage and you never know when you will run into another pharmacist like her.  I ran Bartow, FL and 10 mile radius and came up with 5 stores

You will be dealing with the Pharmacist/owner not some employee who gets paid regardless if they fill controlled Rxs are not.

Talk to the pharmacist about syncing up all your meds so that you can get them all filled on the same day each month.. which will help balance out for any extra miles you have to travel

The FL Board of Pharmacy had new regulations that went into effect Dec 2015 that Pharmacist are suppose to look for a reason to fill a prescription NOT start looking for a reason not to fill it.. but from what I have heard out of FL the BOP is doing nothing to enforce this.

You can file a grievance with Medicare 800-MEDICARE about denial of care by CVS, and intentionally throwing you into cold turkey withdrawal and untreated pain, not following doc’s orders in regards to days supply.

You can complain to CVS HQ but they really don’t care about your quality of life… we have a serious – and growing – pharmacist surplus … so if CVS was unhappy about pts being turned away they could replace those pharmacists in a heart beat.. but.. they are not..


Followup from pt:

Thanks for the advice. I called the pharmacist and she was a real bitch today the least, however,  I called CVS Corporate and they called the pharmacist and were in agreement with me that she crossed the line, long story short the head of the CVS leadership team called me and called my CVS where I normally go, schooled the pharmacist on how to remove the code that enabled the prescription to be filled and now all is good. Thanks so much for your advice and I appreciate the help you offered. Have a great day! 😃💟👍

 

Does writing your Federal Senator/Rep really matter ?

If you write (email, letter, fax) to your Senator… each state has two senators and the largest state (CALF) has 39 million people and the smallest (Wyoming) abt 600,000.  So who believes that either one of your Senators reads the correspondence sent to them ? House members represents anywhere from 500,000 to one million  https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_population

How many times have you or read about someone sending correspondence to a member of Congress concerning the “war on pts” and getting back a form letter addressing the opiate crisis ?  I suspect that each member of Congress has a database of what their constituents have contacted their office about.  What if that database keeps track of the “form letters” that have been sent out. So if the staff member that is answering the letters the office receives replies with a form letter on the opiate crisis and the database has another “mark” about a constituent concerned about the opiate crisis and has nothing to do about the war on pts

Years ago, I sent a letter to my Federal Representative expressing my concern – in favor of – about a particular issue… a short time later I got a letter from their office agreeing with my position of my Fed Rep suggesting that he was in agreement of being in favor of the issue… a day or two later I got a second letter from this office … stating that my Fed Rep was in agreement with my position of BEING AGAINST the particular issue that I wrote about.

The lobbyist industry spends 9+ million/day trying to influence the 535 member of Congress.  If anyone has noticed… lobbyists exerts their chance of influencing a member of Congress … by using their powers of persuasion IN PERSON.

People need not waste their time contacting members of Congress that represents people outside of your district or state…  If you have ever listen to politicians, they often will state that they are in Congress to “represent the people in my state”.. whatever state that happens to be.. If you attempt to contact them, your opinion is of no concern to them.. if you live outside of their district or state.

If you want to get the attention of a member of Congress that doesn’t represent you… about a issue that you care about …  make an appt to talk to them in person and bring a CHECK for their re-election campaign.

You don’t have to go to Washington DC to talk to your member of Congress in person. Often, when they are back in their district they will set aside some time to talk to people they represent. Call their district office and see when Congress is in recess and they will be back in the district and if they have set aside days/times to talk to constituents…  Make an appt and you may get 10-15 minutes one to one time with your Congressional Representative.

 

 

Opioid Prescriptions Down Yet Overdose Deaths Still Rose In West Virginia

Opioid Prescriptions Down Yet Overdose Deaths Still Rose In West Virginia

https://www.thefix.com/opioid-prescriptions-down-yet-overdose-deaths-still-rose-west-virginia

West Virginia sees the highest rates of overdose deaths per capita in the United States.

Close-up shot of a hand holding two white pills.  pillpainkillermedicationhandpainkillertakingwhitevitaminholdingbirthoralcontrolpeopleprescriptionselfhospitalheadachemedicinefemaleaddictionantibioticcapsulecarecloseclose-upcloseupcontraceptioncurediseasedrugfluhealthhealthcarehealthyhumanillnessisolatedmedicalmedicatingnarcoticpalmpharmaceuticalpharmacyremedytablettwoupwomanShow more
 

Despite a significant decrease in the amount of prescription painkillers distributed throughout West Virginia, the state is still facing an increasing number of fatal overdoses due to illegal opioids such as heroin, fentanyl and carfentanil, according to a new report.

According to CNBC, West Virginia is the leading state in the U.S. when it comes to overdose deaths per capita. 

The new numbers came to light after the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy’s annual report was published. The report states, “The 884 drug overdose deaths reported in 2016 was a record high for the state, but 2017 numbers are on pace to surpass that total.” According to the report, in 2017, the number of doses of prescribed controlled substances decreased by 31.3 million, or 12%, in comparison to the prior year. 

Specifically, the report states that hydrocodone, sold under names such as Vicodin and Lortab, was still the most commonly prescribed pain medication, but the number of pills prescribed decreased by 8.4 million tablets, while oxycodone decreased by 9.3 million.

The population of West Virginia is 1.8 million, meaning the doses of controlled substances prescribed in the state last year—236 million—amounted to 65 doses for every person. 

Michael Goff, acting executive director of the pharmacy board, told CNBC that the decrease in the number of prescriptions in 2017 has to do with the increase in awareness around the dangers of prescription opioids. “There’s a lot of articles dealing with, doctors and pharmacies are concerned, there’s lawsuits everywhere,” he said. 

According to Goff, the state pharmacy board has sent out hundreds of letters to pharmacies and health providers. The letters are sent when a patient who has been prescribed or dispensed drugs by those places fatally overdoses. 

Goff says the board is also made aware when a person sees eight or more doctors and visits five different pharmacies within a six-month period. Letters are also sent in these cases. 

At the same time the report was released, West Virginia lawmakers have been working to come up with legislation that further controls the quantity of prescriptions painkillers that can be prescribed by doctors. 

A proposed bill, known as Senate Bill 2, would limit doctors to prescribe no more than a seven-day supply for short-term pain management, with the exception of cancer and hospice patients. 

If passed, West Virginia would join the ranks of more than 20 other states that have established limits for the quantity of opioid prescriptions for acute pain.

Chronic Pain and Suicide

 

Chronic Pain and Suicide

www.nationalpainreport.com/chronic-pain-and-suicide-8835351.html

To not have your suffering recognized is an almost unbearable form of violence. – Andrei  Lankov

As a community I feel we try to give the validation and understanding that many within our community aren’t receiving on the outside. I can’t say how many times I have read a post on a chronic illness board, and read how truly excited people are that for the first time they are understood and not alone. But while we may feel less alone when we venture to these community boards or Spoonie chats, eventually, we have to return to our reality, and for many of us that reality is incredibly lonely along with being incredibly painful.

Liza Zoellick

When I talk about loneliness I do not necessarily mean the state of “being alone.” Many of us have family, kids, spouses and friends who are supportive and many of us have jobs and other hobbies and interests that keep us busy. The loneliness I am speaking of transcends beyond that which we associate with absence of people in our lives. This loneliness is insidious and pervasive because even in a room full of people we can still feel incredibly isolated and alone.  It’s a loneliness born from the isolation we feel as we endure the constant assault of pain on our bodies. This pain is not limited to the physical either, but the violence that takes shape through the neglect we feel, as our suffering goes unrecognized by so many, including those who love us and a medical community that is supposed to care for us. To a certain extent our effort to try and be normal, to buck up like good little soldiers and press on, to smile when we’d rather be crying and to sugar-coat how we are feeling to others when asked, has not done us any favors. It has left the perception among the “non-chronic,” that we aren’t quite as bad as we seem and worse, that we are lazy drug-seekers, looking to milk the system through disability. The indifference that we feel from those outside our chronic community is lethal.

Just for a moment, I want you to imagine with me this: You go from being a vibrant human being with friends and family, a great job and fulfilling hobbies, until one day you wake up sick. At first no one can tell you what is wrong even after test after test. Then, they tell you it’s all in your head and that you should get outside and exercise and you will feel better. Another doctor tells you to see a psychiatrist because he’s given up on finding anything and later on, pain management treats you with flagrant suspicion and red flags your chart as a drug seeker. In the mean time, your spouse (though they may love you) doesn’t know how to help you because they don’t understand what’s happened. You aren’t running a ridiculous fever and covered in lesions so why do you always hurt and why do you always feel so tired because you really do nothing all day? Your friends drop you like last season’s faux fur and if family wasn’t family you are pretty sure they would too. Working is reduced at first before being cut to part time before you can’t at all and you have to fight for disability. Anything else you once did for pure enjoyment is drastically reduced. You find yourself attached to the computer because it is a lifeline to normalcy, where you can talk to other people who understand this new reality. Then, when you are forced to leave those who have become surrogate family and friends, to be thrust back into an apathetic world you realize just how much you have lost and the knowledge of that can be too much to bear.

A few days ago I lost a friend I’d made on a chronic illness board. We’d been chatting back and forth and learned we were in the same city, planned on meeting after the holidays and then the holidays passed and I didn’t hear from her. But holidays are taxing and we all understand there are good days and bad days so I really didn’t think much when we celebrated New Year’s and I hadn’t heard from her. So when I received the message from her husband that she had reached the end of this battle with her illness and took her own life, I was devastated. The devastation coming from the intimate understanding of why she chose to end her life. This does not mean I am suicidal, or that anyone with chronic pain who has considered at some point, ending their own life is suicidal. I think that when you are living with pain that no one can control and you realize one day that it could be like this for 20-30 years, it can be an extremely daunting and terrifying thought. Also, let me say, that I am not condoning the act of suicide, merely saying that as someone who struggles with chronic pain and loneliness, that I can empathize with her thought process.

Her death is a tragedy. It is both a personal tragedy and human tragedy. Her family will have to continue without her, enduring all those life moments with her  but it is still also reflective of something much larger. Her death sheds light on the inadequate efforts taken to both understand and effectively treat chronic illness/pain, that may have prevented this entirely. Perhaps each and every suicide that is driven by interminable pain and loneliness, should be a teachable moment for those within the medical community and also, those making opioid laws, that they might endeavor to do better for those patients suffering. Perhaps, a picture of her face, and one for each of those countless others who have believed that their only option was to end their life should be assembled before lawmakers and hospitals and doctor offices, that they can see the true suffering that stole their life away.

Liza is a 43-year old chronic pain warrior from Houston who has been chronicling er journey through chronic pain and illness for eight months now on her blog: http://lovekarmafood.com. She is a contributor to the National Pain Report.

 

AG Sessions wants to be a “TIME TRAVELER” and going back to the 70’s ?

Will Trump administration, law enforcement challenge safe injection site plans?

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/philadelphia/philly-safe-injection-opioids-law-enforcement-trump-sessions-police-20180123.html

A key question remained unanswered Tuesday after Philadelphia’s announcement that it will support the opening of a safe injection site: How will law enforcement react to a policy described by detractors as an acceptance of illegal drug use?

 

Local officials, from the city’s police commissioner and district attorney to the state attorney general, offered varying reactions to the news, from a full-throated endorsement to hesitance about whether the sites could operate legally.

The Justice Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia offered no response at all — although a local spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration said, “This is not a measure that we can support or condone.” Officials and experts said federal agencies would play a powerful role in determining whether the site will be allowed to operate and what consequences the city might face for supporting an idea backed by public health advocates.

 

“We don’t know how the Justice Department would react,” said Leo Beletsky, professor of law and health science at Northeastern University in Boston. “We can only surmise from the current attorney general’s stance on other issues – specifically marijuana – that his take on states’ rights is not the same as the previous administration.”

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has proven himself to be a staunch advocate for a renewed war against drug use, but the Justice Department under President Trump has yet to take an official position on safe injection sites, even as several cities — including Seattle and San Francisco — have inched toward proposals similar to Philadelphia’s.

The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday, but Patrick Trainor, spokesman for the DEA’s Philadelphia division, said the proposal “has got the attention of a lot of high-ranking people” in Washington. He declined to answer specific questions on how the DEA might react to the opening of such a facility.

 

Last month in Vermont, where state officials are exploring a similar policy, U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan, a Trump appointee, threatened to prosecute those involved with a site and to seize the facility’s assets.

“The proposed government-sanctioned sites would encourage and normalize heroin use, thereby increasing demand for opiates,” she wrote. “It is a crime, not only to use illicit narcotics, but to manage and maintain sites on which such drugs are used and distributed.”

Limousine Service in New York City

When you think of the bustling streets and iconic skyline of New York City, the image of a sleek limousine navigating through the traffic might just pop into your mind. Limousines are not just a mode of transport in the Big Apple; they’re a symbol of luxury, style, and convenience. Whether it’s for a special occasion, corporate event, or simply treating yourself to a lavish ride around the city, legendary limousine services in New York City offer an unparalleled experience. In this article, we’ll delve into the world of limousine service in NYC, exploring everything from the benefits to choosing the right service for your needs.

Exploring New York City in Style

One of the best ways to experience the vibrant energy of NYC is from the comfort of a limousine. Whether it’s sightseeing tours, shopping excursions, or a night out on the town, a limo adds an extra layer of luxury to your adventures.

Safety and Reliability

When it comes to transportation, safety is paramount. Reputable limousine services prioritize the safety and comfort of their passengers, employing trained chauffeurs and maintaining their vehicles to the highest standards.

Cost-Effectiveness of Limousine Service

Contrary to popular belief, hiring a limousine can be a cost-effective option, especially for group travel. When you factor in the convenience, comfort, and time saved, the value becomes apparent.

Customization Options

No two passengers are alike, which is why many limousine services offer customization options. Whether it’s special amenities, decoration for a particular occasion, or specific routes, tailoring your experience is all part of the service.

 

Sessions last month also took steps to roll back Obama-era policies that had let federal law enforcement effectively look the other way as states set their own laws regarding marijuana legalization.

And the Trump administration has punched back against cities that have bucked its policy goals – including Philadelphia, where it sought to revoke federal law enforcement grants in response to the city’s “sanctuary city” policy on illegal immigration.

Brian Abernathy, Philadelphia’s first deputy managing director, said the city would work with potential partners to stem any federal consequences.

“We’re confident and hopeful that the federal government has more important things to do than to not save people’s lives,” Abernathy said.

Local officials said the potential to reduce the skyrocketing number of overdose fatalities was a key factor in getting them to consider the proposal. Studies also suggest that safe injection sites in VancouverSydney, and other cities have helped prevent overdose deaths while having little impact on public safety.

Police Commissioner Richard Ross said a conversation last fall with a police leader from Vancouver convinced him the sites could help save lives — even though he still has questions about how Philadelphia police would interact with such a facility and patrol near a site where illegal drug use is sanctioned.

“I went from being adamantly against it to having an open mind,” Ross said Tuesday.

New District Attorney Larry Krasner also pledged that his office would not target the operators or users at a safe injection site. “No, I would not seek prosecution for people suffering from the disease of addiction and trying to deal with that and stay alive long enough to be rehabilitated in a safe way,” Krasner said.

State Attorney General Josh Shapiro, however, said sanctioning a safe injection site “presents significant public safety concerns, and changes in state and federal law would need to occur for these sites to operate legally.”

In a statement Tuesday, Shapiro stopped short of addressing the key question of whether his office’s agents would turn a blind eye to such a center. Other state officials noted that Pennsylvania’s crime code prohibits possessing or injecting controlled illegal substances or possessing drug paraphernalia.

 

The city’s proposal does risk running afoul of two federal laws — a statute barring illegal drug possession and one known as the Crack House Statute, which makes it illegal to “knowingly open or maintain … [or] manage or control any place … for the purpose of unlawfully … using a controlled substance.”

The DEA rarely pursues cases of personal-use drug possession, focusing instead on traffickers and large-level dealers. How the Justice Department might view a safe injection site under the second law is “more of a question of politics or optics” than a legal one, said Corey S. Davis, deputy director of the Network for Public Health Law.

“At any one time there are a million priorities,” he said. “Each agency has discretion on what types of cases they want to pursue.”

Still, a disconnect between federal and local law enforcement can present situations ripe for confusion.

When Vancouver opened a safe injection site in 2003, for example, the Canadian government established a legal exemption allowing people to use illegal substances at the site, according to the head of the police union, Tom Stamatakis.

But Stamatakis said Tuesday that it was still illegal to buy or sell the drugs, and dozens of police officers were deployed to the neighborhood of the safe injection site to help prevent increases in petty or drug-related crimes.

“There are issues there you have to carefully consider,” he said.

Munster doctor indicted for allegedly over-prescribing painkillers

Munster doctor indicted for allegedly over-prescribing painkillers

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/crime/ct-ptb-munster-doctor-indictment-st-0123-20180122-story.html

A doctor at a Munster medical practice was indicted for allegedly over-prescribing hydrocodone, according to court documents.

Dr. Jay Joshi, who practiced at Prestige Clinic in Munster, was indicted on four counts of selling, distributing or dispensing hydrocodone, according to court documents unsealed in federal court Monday. The indictments cited four incidents where an unnamed individual reportedly received prescriptions for 60 tablets of hydrocodone during four consecutive monthly visits, according to court documents.

“During the time period alleged in this indictment, Joshi dispensed controlled substances that were not prescribed for a legitimate medical purpose and outside the scope of professional practice,” the indictment said.

Attorney Paul Stracci, who is representing the doctor, said Joshi appeared in federal court Monday and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Stracci said a jury trial is tentatively scheduled for April 2018.

Federal investigators found that since April 2017, Joshi allegedly issued more than 6,000 prescriptions for controlled substances, according to court documents. Documents showed Joshi ranked first in Lake County and ninth in Indiana for the number of prescriptions written for controlled substances, according to the indictment.

The unsealed indictment laid out a series of appointments where “Individual A” allegedly got prescriptions from Joshi.

On July 18, “Individual A” reportedly asked Joshi for Vicodin, according to court documents, and was given a prescription for 60 tablets of hydrocodone after a “cursory medical examination.”

On Aug. 14, “Individual A” again obtained a prescription for 60 tablets of hydrocodone.

One Sept. 13, “Individual A” obtained a prescription for 66 tablets of hydrocodone.

On Nov. 13, “Individual A” obtained a prescription for 60 tablets of hydrocodone.

The indictment also alleged that in May 2017 staff at Prestige Clinic dispensed prescriptions for controlled substances to patients while Joshi was in Greece, according to court documents.

clyons@post-trib.com

Twitter @craigalyons

And just where did Federal Investigators get the number of prescriptions that this doctor wrote..  Was “Individual A” a confidential informant that was “planted” to visit the physician or was it a undercover member of law enforcement?  Isn’t that what they call ENTRAPMENT ?

The whole issue is around “Individual A” getting TWO DOSES of HYDROCODONE A DAY … for FOUR MONTHS IN A ROW ?… and that was determined to be: were not prescribed for a legitimate medical purpose and outside the scope of professional practice

Or did they use this “Individual A”‘s interaction with the prescriber to get a probable cause warrant to go on a fishing expedition thru the surrounding states’ PMP databases? Or had they already went on a “fishing expedition” thru those PMP databases before any real probable cause was known ?

In the middle of the article it switches from the prescriber writing for 60 +/- doses of hydrocodone… doesn’t specify strength, if it was Hydrocodone and APAP or something like Zohydro (long acting Hydrocodone).. then they start talking about 6,000 prescriptions for controlled substances.

All opiates/narcotics are controlled substances… not all controlled substances are opiates/narcotics.

Indiana Senate: addressing the opiate crisis with a “lockable Rx vial”

Introduced Senate Bill (S)

https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2018/bills/senate/339

Third level navigation links – accordion

DIGEST

Controlled substance dispensing. Requires a pharmacy and pharmacist to sell or dispense a controlled drug in schedule II (controlled drug) in a lockable vial and bill the controlled drug manufacturer for the cost of the lockable vial. Prohibits billing the patient for the cost of the lockable vial. Provides for immunity from liability for a pharmacy, pharmacy personnel, and pharmacist in certain circumstances.
who believes that this vial is going to be HAMMER PROOF ?  Instead of someone stealing a few doses from someone – hoping that they don’t realize they are gone… they will just STEAL THE ENTIRE BOTTLE..