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The New England Journal of Medicine published a report from Harvard researchers on March 14, 2019, entitled
“Initial Opioid Prescriptions among U.S. Commercially Insured Patients, 2012–2017.”
They found a “29% reduction in the number of providers who initiated opioid therapy in any patient who had not used opioids, from 114,043 in July 2012 to 80,462 in December 2017.”
Two of my own physicians, both distinguished, outstanding – an internist and a specialty cardiologist who does painful procedures – have said they will never prescribe opioids again. If I ever need an opioid for pain, it is possible I may never be able to get a prescription.
One of my pain management colleagues has defended 6 colleagues in the last 6 months before the Medical Board.
This is just the beginning of Opioid Intimidation perpetuated by government and CDC. It is deeply worrisome and it is getting worse.
We have a shortage of pain management specialists and those that have survived mostly do procedures, delegating prescription writing to PA’s and NP’s because it is time consuming and does not pay. There is a formidable barrier of denials by insurers for nonopioid medications, physical therapy, acupuncture, yoga, Pilates, cognitive behavioral therapy, and all compounded medications. Denials have become voluminous for at least 10 years. The process is not only time consuming, it is expensive, it wears us all down, inflicts horrific cruelty on patients, and to top it all off the appeals system is a joke.
Who would want to go into the pain management field ever again?
Stay tuned for more stories to come.
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The material on this site is for informational purposes only.
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It is not legal for me to provide medical advice without an examination.
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It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider.
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Pain Management Specialist in San Diego & La Jolla 