What Should I Know About Prescription Drug Fraud?

What Should I Know About Prescription Drug Fraud?

One of the greatest public health crises in modern American history is the opioid epidemic. Addiction to opioids and other similar medications has caused an upswing in prescription medication abuse. Prescription medication abuse affects millions of families across the country, tearing communities apart and driving up the cost of medical services.

One specific component of the opioid epidemic is fraud, where patients try to receive prescription medication through means of deception. According to Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance, almost 15,000 people each year die from an overdose of prescription medications.

What Are Signs of Prescription Medication Fraud?

On the part of patients, one indicator is the type and amount of medication they take. For instance, if a patient has multiple prescriptions from many different doctors or a complex mix of tranquilizers, opioids and painkillers they may be engaging in prescription medication fraud.

Additionally, if a patient is traveling to pharmacies far away from where they live, it is possible that local pharmacies have started refusing to do business with the patient on suspicion of fraud. On the part of physicians, if a physician is prescribing very large volumes of painkillers, tranquilizers or opioids it may be a sign of fraud.

How Can We Prevent Prescription Medication Fraud?

Insurance companies have been tightening their oversight of certain kinds of medications. For instance, if a particular patient ends up with more than 10 prescriptions for controlled substances in less than three months, this often automatically triggers an investigation.

If you suspect that a family member is engaging in prescription medication fraud, You may wish to alert either your local authorities or the insurance company to your suspicions.