{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear released figures Tuesday showing the amount of Hydrocodone prescribed since Kentucky passed a prescription drug bill dropped 7.5 percent from 20.9 million doses to 19.3 million doses by August, while Oxycodone prescriptions declined by 6.4 percent and Xanax prescriptions fell by 9 percent over the same period. The prescription drug bill, which passed in a special legislative session in April and went into effect July 20th, requires medical professionals who write prescriptions to use the state's prescription monitoring system, known as KASPER. The number of users grew from 7,911 to 21,542 in six months. Kentucky's new law is being credited for the closure of 10 pain management clinics. State regulators are working with private insurance companies and Medicaid managers to make sure health insurance plans help cover the cost of urine tests required under House Bill 1.Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Prescriptions Drop Under Drug Law
{Frankfort, Kentucky}...Governor Steve Beshear released figures Tuesday showing the amount of Hydrocodone prescribed since Kentucky passed a prescription drug bill dropped 7.5 percent from 20.9 million doses to 19.3 million doses by August, while Oxycodone prescriptions declined by 6.4 percent and Xanax prescriptions fell by 9 percent over the same period. The prescription drug bill, which passed in a special legislative session in April and went into effect July 20th, requires medical professionals who write prescriptions to use the state's prescription monitoring system, known as KASPER. The number of users grew from 7,911 to 21,542 in six months. Kentucky's new law is being credited for the closure of 10 pain management clinics. State regulators are working with private insurance companies and Medicaid managers to make sure health insurance plans help cover the cost of urine tests required under House Bill 1.