Link to article: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/04/health/policy/04medicare.html?_r=1
Letter to the Editor
The New York Times
letters@nytimes.com
October 5, 2011
Dear Editor:
On October 3, 2011, you reported that Medicare beneficiaries have been able to obtain a dangerous amount of painkillers and other narcotics through multiple prescription drug plans offered by different insurance companies.
As a student, I consider these findings alarming where American tax dollars are being spent to satisfy the addictive needs of beneficiaries and possibly promote illegal drug distributing activities.
One suggestion I have would be to implement an electronic health record system similar to the one in utilized in Taiwan. If Medicare officials were able to create some form of electronic "smart-card" for American citizens, providers could have access to detailed medical records for every patient. This way, we can prevent this abuse and allocate funds to more essential services for other Medicare recipients.
Sincerely,
Jon Holmberg
I completely agree that prescription drug abuse by Medicare beneficiaries is an alarming problem that needs to be addressed. If it could be executed, an electronic health records system would definitely help providers keep better track of beneficiary drug use and curtail abuse. However, this only treats the problem, it doesn’t address why people are abusing the drugs in the first place. Some drugs are extremely effective and help a lot of people. However, many prescription drugs are highly addictive and like any technology can be misused. Pharmaceutical companies and physicians need to take responsibility and re-evaluate the overemphasis on drugs in our health system.
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