Gov. Kasich Signs House Bill 93, limits amount of meds Dr's can prescribe, etc

[The Straight Story]

The Ohio bill includes several provisions to curb the problem of illegal prescription distribution by practitioners in that state. Most notably, and perhaps the most controversial provision of the bill, is the limitations written into the bill to restrict physicians from writing more than a set amount of controlled substances in a given month. The bill currently would include a limit of 2,500 doses of controlled substance units per prescriber in a given 30 day window of time. Opponents say that would limit the ability of practitioners to treat patients as they wanted.

....

The bill includes other provisions such as limiting the in-office dispensing of controlled substances to a one day’s supply only. It also aims to incorporate a lock in feature for Medicaid patients who would be required to get all controlled substance prescriptions at one pharmacy. It even includes a provision to create a program for patients to turn back in expired medications.

http://www.theredheadedpharmacist.com/?p=3108

Gov. Kasich Signs House Bill 93

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. John Kasich has signed House Bill 93 into law which will now help legislation that fights Ohio's prescription drug abuse epidemic.

Friday's signing comes on the heels of a major bust just this week in Ohio where the DEA suspended the licenses of four doctors for illegally dispensing powerful pain killers in southern Ohio, ONN's Stephanie Mennecke reported.

The DEA believed the doctors recklessly prescribed the painkillers to people who abused them.

Friday's bill signing was surrounded by mothers who were holding framed pictures of their children who died of a drug overdose.

http://www.onntv.com/live/content/onnnews/stories/2011/05/20/story-pill-mills.html?sid=102

[LiberalFighter]

1. If the DEA believes that doctors recklessly prescribed drugs

then they should had petition to have laws covering that issue at the federal level so it applies to all states. AND because it should be under jurisdiction of the FDA.

[LiberalFighter]

2. Does this bill really do any good? It doesn't appear to.

[dmr]

3. That allows the doctor to prescribed less than

28 narcotic prescriptions if the dosing is three times daily.

3 doses/day x 30 days = 90 doses

2500 allowable doses/month = 27.7 scripts

This hinders the doctor, especially the surgeon or pain specialist to effectively ease the pain their patients suffer.

Of course some narcotics are only dosed once or twice daily, but there are others that can be up to 5 times daily.

Some patients legitimately receive more than one Controlled Substance per visit.

It seems to me that a physician could be monitored by the DEA via their DEA prescribing number.

I don't think this is wise or fair legislation.

Edit: spelling