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Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear.<br>PHOTO:Candice Freeland

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear.
PHOTO:Candice Freeland

Gov. Signs Emergency Regulations for Prescriptions

By AP

FRANKFORT, KY - Kentucky governor Steve Beshear has signed emergency regulations that require doctors to meet tougher prescription standards in an effort to stop drug abuse.

The rules, which were given to state boards that oversee the medical industry on Friday, were presented to lawmakers Monday and will remain in effect until permanent regulations are adopted.

The Courier-Journal reports that under the order, pain clinics will be more regulated and doctors are required to use the state's prescription drug tracking system.

Some physicians have raised concerns that the order exceeds the original goal of a bill passed by lawmakers, but Beshear said in a statement that his office worked diligently to make sure the emergency regulations match the intent of the bill.

Published 08:27 AM, Monday Jul. 23, 2012
Updated 06:13 AM, Monday Jul. 30, 2012

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- Name: Kent B.
  
  7/28/2012 3:26:58 PM
  
  This law covers all controlled medications not just those for pain. Small offices are refusing to prescribe to those patients that are on maintenance meds for ADHD due to the extra hassle and paperwork. We are now trying to find a new physician for my son after he was turned away from his doctor of the past 18 months. His doctor tried to change him from medication that was working to something else that in the past had caused him to be depressed and lethargic for no other reason than the convenience of the doctor. He has been drug free for the past month and is scared of the prospect of starting classes next month without his medication. New doctor is requiring a visit but not before September. State did not fully understand the impact of this legislation before enacting it.
  
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  Name: R W.
  
  7/26/2012 7:07:40 AM
  
  In a way, eddy basically makes my point again. I am talking about a persons responsible treating physician which an individual can go to if they have the flu as well as pain. But I am also talking about a specialist which can prescribe these types of medications until no longer needed for someone who has crushed their leg in an automobile accident. However, I wonder how much this is really going to change the "war on prescription drugs" in Kentucky. I watched a documentary on television not long ago about pain clinics in Florida who prescribe these meds right and left. Patients going into those clinics were interviewed and, guess what, many, many of them were from Kentucky, Tennnessee, etc. Even though it may be harder to get them now in Kentucky, people who typically abuse these drugs or use them to supplement their incomes are going to find a way to get them. There are patients out there with legitimate conditions that cause pain which they need medications for. I just hope this doesn't make their lives even harder than it already is.
  
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  Name: eddy a.
  
  7/26/2012 5:40:04 AM
  
  Independent T. These pain managerment centers have some people believing that there is not no where they can go as good as they are to get treatment for their pain.I know one person that goes to a pain center for a injection at $3,000 dollars a pop 4 times a year that does not help him very much so they give him 3 types of pain drugs.He is now nothing but a drug head every day of his life that is what they have done for him these doctors are not responsible doctors and they should be put out of business.The only thing they care about is how much money they can make with drugs.Your personal doctor should be able to manage your pain for you without you becoming dependent on drugs so bad that you think that you can not live without all your drugs.
  
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  Name: Independent T.
  
  7/25/2012 2:50:00 PM
  
  I have to say....I go more with R.W's approach. Specialized doctors to presctibe the meds in special sitations....not the widespread stuff at pain management joints. I mean, my gosh, Oxycontin was first prescribed to treat only terminal cancer patients and others with SEVERE - SEVERE pain....not for the recreational purposes it is used for today. Pain Management houses in many instances has shown themselves to be too irresponsible to be trusted with such powerful meds......WAY TOO UNRESPONSIBLE in my view.
  
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  Name: Independent Republocrat .
  
  7/25/2012 1:10:57 PM
  
  Pain Management Clinics reap the highest profit margin from this problem. Example: Patient - Referred by Doctor scared of red tape and pressures regardless that imaging results clearly show back/wrist/neck/etc abnormality. Dr. Pain - Yes there is a problem that indicates pain. We want to stick needles into the bone. (Injections)But ultimately you will require surgery. Patient - Is there anyway to help "manage" without using that big needle? Dr. Pain - No. We use 3 forms of treatment to maximize patient billin---uh COMFORT. 1-Physical therapy 2-Pain meds & inflammation/muscle relaxers 3- Injections, oh and btw, for your convenience, they are only offered before lunch, You can't drive or work that day so you need a volunteer to burn their workday watching over you. Patient - I would prefer not use that big spike. Dr. Pain - Again. Therapy, Meds, Needle. All of nothing. For your convenience we offer all services in-house and all bills are merged from 1 central source. Patient - Ok,I guess because I do trust your advice. 2 MONTHS LATER - Patient - Bill in mail indicates $2,000+ balance due immediately. Payments begin, end quickly in bad-debt, Insurance pays their portion, DR says ok we'll recoup our loss from other patients when Bankruptcy notice received. Patient looks for General Practioner, runs gauntlet of pre-narcotic test meds and cycle starts again. The problems are in several areas. Look at these stats - Number 1 cause of Bankruptcy - Medical Bills. Number 1 cause of Divorce - Financial Distress Number 1 problem in USA - Health Reform The Pain Centers should be consultive and diagnostic services ONLY. I would love to charge $2,000+ for 5 minutes of my time for an "Injection". Hire a Therapist $30/hr and charge $75/hr. If possible they would probably also distribute the meds. We need to be careful, if the Pain Centers start opening Pharmacy's the problem will only compound. I'm not saying the sellers/abusers are "ok", but I do think the problem would self-correct to some degree if we simply segregated those giving advice/medical orders from those reaping profits. As quoted "Money is the root of all evil".
  
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  Name: R W.
  
  7/25/2012 9:31:27 AM
  
  I realize prescription pain pill abuse is out of control in some areas but I can see both sides of this issue. When my father-in-law had cancer, which eventually took his life, he suffered severely from pain and was prescribed pain pills for a few months. When it was time for hospice to be contacted, the pain was worse than what the ordinary pain pills could handle, and he was put on IV medications. I have to say, I don't know what we would have done had the doctor been unable or scared to prescribe him medications. Of course, he was responsible with them & certainly didn't sell them on the street. Nor did anyone in my family. In my opinion, it is the pain management clinics that need regulating the most, the ones that deal primarily with pain, where someone can walk in and say they are hurting and automatically get a prescription. I'm not sure I agree with putting the same strict regulations on oncologists, orthopedists & neurologists (that may be treating the car accident victim who may not recover for months and months). These medications were created and invented for a reason. If a drunk can walk into Five Star and buy a case of beer, (and then drive away) it just seems to me like a person suffering from a severe medical problem should be able to get the medications they need from their own primary physician. I'm not talking about the 20 year old who goes into a pain clinic, tells the doc their back hurts and gets a prescription. Responsible doctors should be able to treat their patients as they see fit.
  
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  Name: Independent T.
  
  7/25/2012 9:00:04 AM
  
  Good stuff, eddy. I couldnt agree more.
  
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  Name: eddy a.
  
  7/25/2012 7:10:45 AM
  
  One more thing, some old people that is on pain medication for their pain needs more money than their pain pills.So they will miss taking some of their medication to sale their pain pills for money.Some of these pain medications will sale on the street for 8 to 10 dollars a pill.If you sale just 10 pills that could be 80 to 100 dollars and Some pain medications sale for just 5 dollars.If you have the money that they need what do you think that they are going to do.This is how most of the prescription drugs get on the street.Where do most of these prescription drugs come from,doctors.The center for disease and prevention,dealths from prescription drugs tripled nationwide is now the leading cause of accidental deaths in the united states.And what gov Steve Beshear has done is the right thing to do for now until permanent regulations are adopted.He does not want to keep pain medication from people that needs them he want to try to keep pain pills off the street.
  
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  Name: eddy a.
  
  7/25/2012 6:25:43 AM
  
  We have today a great number of young people that do prescription drugs to get mess-up in the head.They get their drugs on the street from people that get drugs for their pain.The problem is out-of-hand and their is going to be control of how much pain medication you get per mo.Some of these people are snowing the doctor about their pain so they can get their drugs to sale on the street and making big money.How can someone say that their pain is so bad that they cant stand-it and drive to their pain management to get their drugs they must not be in very bad pain to drive a car.Some people want you to think that they are in pain so they can get what they want.And when you are not around they are just as in good health as you are.They call it snowing everyone to get what you want.They do not want your help the only thing they want is DRUGS.So wake-up and get your head out of the hole and see what the world has come to where you live.
  
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  Name: Kyle W.
  
  7/24/2012 11:21:29 PM
  
  Scott you hit the nail on the head. Also it doesn't help when doctors are script happy and just try to cover up pain intstead of treating it. Pharmaceutical companies and doctors have a racket going and are raking in tons of money.
  
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  Name: scott t.
  
  7/24/2012 10:02:42 PM
  
  independent is right, you wouldn't believe how many people ..esp age 18-30 males and females both that come to the emergency dept, begging for pain meds. of course they are allergic to everything except dddddilaudid and oxycontin. LISTEN close...NOBODY believes you, we know most of yall are completely worthless and lazy and dont want to work. let you in on a little secret, all of us have some sort of pain but it doesn't keep the good folks from working and providing for their family ...instead of begging for pain meds and trying to get on disability.
  
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  Name: Estelle B.
  
  7/24/2012 4:27:22 PM
  
  There is no doubt in any normal persons mind that we do have a bad problem but punishing the innocent is not the answer. I don't know what is just like you don't. However since I don't know how to make it right I certainly am not going to be behind the cuts and threats. There are people who do suffer and anytime new laws are put forth to combat the wrong so many others are hurt. I have seen the documenterys on children of dope users and it's sad but it's just as sad when people need medication and can't get it. The drug companies are making a killing off of people and we all know it. The government could put a stop to allot of it but they won't. Medication is out there for a purpose and that is to help people in pain but this new way of fighting misuse is going to hurt so many who need it.
  
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  Name: Independent T.
  
  7/24/2012 3:18:44 PM
  
  For those who do worship at the alter of prescription feel-good pills, worry not. Kentucky politicans are NOT going to do anything meaningful about the problem that are the pharmaceutical companies, the pain management crack houses, or the news media who collects lots and lots of advertizing dollars from the pain management joints. So junkies, fear not. Children of junkies....fear mightily and often. Any talk about addressing the problem of prescription drug abuse is just that.....talk.
  
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  Name: Independent T.
  
  7/24/2012 2:45:30 PM
  
  Ah yes, Estelle. Those of us who think it's not a real swell idea for people in Kentucky to die from prescription pain med overdoses on a regular basis are into kicking those with cancer around. How ridiculous that is! Why dont you ask the children of prescription drug junkies how their lives are going? Something tells me you wont do that, but will instead join in with whiners like Chris M. and other whorshippers of the "chemical solution." Estelle, you can believe what you want...just as anyone else can do. But, my opinion is that something is very, very, very sinister going on in the world of so-called pain management.
  
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  Name: Estelle B.
  
  7/24/2012 2:27:24 PM
  
  And just for the record I see nothing wrong with state's prescription drug tracking system to stop doctor shopping but the truth is many doctors are backing down from even prescribing the correct medication due to all the pressures and their fear of losing their license. It's easier and cheaper if they just don't fool with it and this leaves more people to suffer for what the crooks are getting away with and will continue to get away with. The innocent are punished.
  
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  Name: eddy a.
  
  7/24/2012 12:47:47 PM
  
  Some people go to pain management to snow the doctor about their pain to get what they want,Many of them sale their dugs on the street.Pain clinics knows that this goes on with some of their people that comes to them for their drugs But they can not control this.Everyone knows that this goes on and something needs to be done.For some pain clinics is nothing but a drug outlet for some people for they are nothing but drugs heads.and for alot of them the american taxpayers are having to pay the bill for their drugs and some of the drugs that are sold on the street.Everything is about money and how much money that they can make it is not about health care they do not care about who is going to have to pay just as long as they get there money.
  
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  Name: Independent T.
  
  7/24/2012 9:41:12 AM
  
  Chris M. More people die in Kentucky from overdoses from your miracle "pain medication" than from car wrecks. Hey, many of us survived in a world before there was "pain management" on every street corner. That industry has turned a country of potentially productive young adults into dependent slaves who can do nothing more than eat pills and complain about their L-5s, their degenerative disc disease, and their disability check.
  
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  Name: C L.
  
  7/24/2012 9:29:26 AM
  
  If you are getting your pain medicine legally, I don't see your problem Chris M.
  
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  Name: Chris M.
  
  7/24/2012 9:02:15 AM
  
  Because the governor has a medical degree and knows what is best about treating pain? Oh no? Because all the state lawmakers have medical degrees and know what is best about treating pain? Wait that isn't true either? Oh so this is just another power grab in the idiotic war on people in pain. Another way for the government to take money an property from people who are just trying to live life or those trying to help people facing insurmountable pain. I truly hope the governor and all the members of his board develop incurable, chronic, but non life threatening disease that leave them in wheelchairs. A pox upon all of them
  
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