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Senator Brown Joins Fight Against Senior Drug Abuse

Photo by Flickr's Sharyn Morrow
Photo by Flickr's Sharyn Morrow

By ideastream's Brian Bull

Prescription drug abuse among the elderly is being carried out by “pharmacy hopping” and “doctor shopping”, according to Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown.  He’s part of a bipartisan effort to crack down on the issue, which affects an estimated 170,000 people enrolled in Medicare. 

The Stopping Medication Abuse and Protecting Seniors Act aims to set up a so-called “lock in” program through Medicare.  It would restrict senior beneficiaries to one physician and one pharmacy, to keep those addicted or susceptible to opiate addiction from accessing more than one prescription.

Senator Brown says the legislation is similar to plans already implemented by commercial plans and Medicaid.  He adds insurers and health care professionals will be encouraged to help clients hooked on painkillers and similar drugs.

“We’ve got a problem when it’s easier for seniors to get pain medication than it is for them to get help to break their addiction," says Brown. "This legislation we hope, will be one small step in moving in that direction.” 

Drug abusers who are Medicare beneficiaries can use the program’s services to help treat their addiction. 

Among those speaking out in favor of the bill is 66-year-old Dennis Michelson  a former addict from Painesville.  He says several years ago, he was prescribed powerful drugs for his migraines from a doctor who meant well. 

“And so when he started weaning me, I crossed a line and began to go to other doctors. And other pharmacies," recalls Michelson. "No I won’t go into all the gory details, but that…downward slope obtaining anywhere from led to me obtaining anywhere from 30 to 60 Vicodin on a daily basis.” 

Michelson and Brown appeared today at the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging in Cleveland.

Among the Congressional backers is Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, who’s chief sponsor.  Others include Ohio Republican Senator Rob Portman and Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine.  The U.S. Senate is back in session in early September.   

An Area Agency on Aging representative in southern Ohio adds many practitioners are reluctant to prescribe drugs because of the abuse issue, and this puts legitimate users at risk as well.