“Report on Medicare Cites Prescription Drug Abuse”

Letters to the Editor

The New York Times

letters@nytimes.com

October 5, 2011

Dear Editor:

On October 3, 2011, you published an article revealing that many elders are receiving prescriptions for painkillers from multiple providers with asymmetric patient information. Although this is not the first time that Medicare has had trouble with fraud, this mode of abuse is uniquely corrupt. It allows public funds, aimed at improving health, to promote pernicious habits. As a tax-paying citizen, I do not want my money being used to foster drug addiction or to support a fraudulent system.

Despite the systemic flaws of the Medicare demanding reformation, small steps can be taken quickly to resolve this over-prescription conundrum. If Medicare mandated that patients' primary care physicians are responsible for managing complete records with due treatment this issue could be avoided. With this policy, Medicare Part D abusers would be caught and citizens would be less upset to fund a corrupt program.

Sincerely,

Lindsay Allen

2467 Warring Street

Berkeley, CA, 94704

ljallen4@gmail.com

(925) 876-7914

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/04/health/policy/04medicare.html