Sen. Brown introduces legislation to stop medication abuse

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) on Monday introduced new bipartisan legislation, the Stopping Medication Abuse and Protecting Seniors Act, to address prescription drug abuse by cracking down on doctor shopping.

During a press conference at the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, Brown outlined how the creation of a Medicare lock-in program would help the estimated 170,000 Medicare beneficiaries who are battling opioid addiction receive the help they need while saving taxpayer dollars.

“Americans all across the country have been affected by the growing public health crisis caused by addiction to opioids and other prescription drugs,” Brown said. “We should be doing more to help rehabilitate Ohioans who are suffering from drug addiction. This bill will help protect Medicare for future generations through better monitoring of prescription patterns on the part of doctors, pharmacies and patients. By identifying those seniors who may be struggling with addiction, we can do more to help them recover.”

The legislation will create a patient review and restriction, or “lock-in” program similar to drug diversion prevention plans already in Medicaid and commercial plans that would limit beneficiaries with a history of drug abuse to seeing one prescriber and one pharmacy.

This drug abuse prevention plan will also encourage insurers, Part D plan sponsors and healthcare professionals to assist beneficiaries battling addiction in looking for substance abuse treatment.