Email steve@steveariens.com 502-938-2414
Pay Attention
But I’m about to do a live feed ( https://www.facebook.com/iamafibrowarrior ) I need all chronic pain patients to make these signs and post them in fact maybe even put it as their profile picture so we let the legislators know that we’re damn voters and we count
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https://www.civilized.life/articles/jeff-sessions-sabotage-medical-marijuana-research/
Attorney General Jeff Sessions hasn’t been able to institute any marijuana crackdowns due to political pressures in Congress, but he has found one area where he can stymie marijuana growth: research.
It’s been nearly two years since the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) announced it would open up the process for producing marijuana for research by the federal government. The DEA contracts outside companies to grow or manufacture illegal drugs so they can study them further. And yet despite opening up the process, the DEA still hasn’t picked any companies to provide marijuana for the process, and that’s exactly what Sessions wants.
Historically, while the Attorney General does oversee the DEA, they usually stay out of the process of researching marijuana. And yet Sessions inserted himself fully two years ago, and he’s refused to authorize anyone to begin growing marijuana for research.
Several members of Congress have questioned Sessions about the situation, and he’s given no indication as to when (or possibly if) he will make a decision. In April, Senators Orrin Hatch and Kamala Harris gave Sessions a deadline of May 15th to give them a timeline. That deadline was ignored.
Sessions claims that the DEA cannot handle overseeing more applications for marijuana growers, which is why he needed to get involved. And yet, the DEA has approved 26 applications for manufacturing other illegal drugs to study in 2018 alone.
Unfortunately it doesn’t seem Congress is to intent on forcing Sessions to make a choice as all they’ve done is send a few letters to him.
But why is Sessions so reluctant to allow this marijuana research to continue? If marijuana has no benefits, as he claims, wouldn’t the research simply prove him right? Or does he know that the research proves his antiquated ideas about cannabis are wrong, and he knows if he allows more research it will only become more apparent how wrong he is?
Pres Trump has had such a dramatic turnover in his Cabinet and yet this BOZO… is still around…
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I called Senator Donnelly’s DC office about the issue that I had made in the above blog post earlier in the week… and you can read the letter that I got back from his office. Being overcharged by CVS Health/Caremark/Silver Scripts has NOTHING to do with the donut hole with Medicare Part D.
The fact that over a ONE YEAR period… Silver Scripts was going to OVER CHARGE us enough on ONE PRESCRIPTIONS that would pay for ONE YEAR’S cost of property tax and insurance on our home. – NO SMALL SUM…
Early this week both Sen Warren (Mass) and Smith (Minn) has a press release about PBM’s and their role of high prices.. I attempted to contact their DC offices as well… but.. since I am not one of their constituents… not interested… I guess only FACTS from their constituents or those lobbyists with contribution to their re-election campaign are worth talking to.
You can read Sen Donnelly’s letter… Sen Donnelly is up for reelection in Indiana this Nov.. a Democrat in a normally very politically RED STATE…
I fully realize that Sen Donnelly didn’t himself generate this email, but if this is representative of the quality and training of his staff… IMO.. he has a problem…
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www.statnews.com/2018/07/06/cancer-patients-pain-opioid-stigma/
History is repeating itself. Twenty years ago, a pain management crisis existed. As many as 70 percent of cancer patients in treatment at that time, or in end-of-life care, experienced unalleviated pain. Identified as a major medical problem, poor pain management became synonymous with poor medical care. In fact, prescribing adequate pain medication became mandatory for hospital accreditation.
The medications used to treat moderate to severe pain among people with cancer are the same opioids helping fuel today’s opioid crisis. Though it has turned a much-needed spotlight on the overprescription of these medications, it is overshadowing their underprescription among people who really need them, especially those with cancer. Two-thirds of individuals with metastatic cancer and more than half of those being treated for cancer report experiencing chronic pain, and 1 in 3 cancer patients do not receive medication appropriate for the intensity of their pain.
To get a sense of how people living with cancer are being treated for pain at a time when there is a growing stigma associated with opioid use, we reviewed 140 public posts on Inspire, the health social network we work for, written by 100 people with cancer and their caregivers. Although the writers spanned many cancer types, they primarily represented lung, bladder, and advanced breast cancer. In general, they described facing stigma from both health care providers and society in general.
Some writers said their doctors now hesitate to prescribe opioids due to concerns over addiction. Restrictions on refills and their timing are barriers to consistent use of medications to treat pain. Many of the writers said they felt they were being treated like drug seekers when their pain needs are real and management is necessary. Their experiences with access were described as: “makes me feel like a druggie,” “I use a very low dose,” “treated like a pill seeker,” and “I am not part of the oxycodone EPIDEMIC.”
One individual wrote, “I have been made to feel like a criminal – from my doctor’s office…to the pharmacy worker who said very loudly to other patients in line that I was sure taking a lot of opioids. I was humiliated. I have been afraid to ask for pain relief as it seems like I am doing something wrong. During my cancer journey, I had to have a hysterectomy without pain relief…Hospitals feel they are opening the door to opiate abuses and my surgeon would not authorize pain medicine. I am terrified right now to ask for a refill on my pain medication.”
While the stigma from health care providers can affect cancer patients’ access to pain medications, it is the stigma from society that affects their use. Many writers indicated that they feared becoming addicts and worried about withdrawal symptoms. They also offered concerns about what use of high doses or multiple daily pain pills says about them.
These misperceptions aren’t alleviated by what patients are learning about opioids. Varied messaging about addiction and dependence from the media, government, and even health care providers seems to be leading to confusion and misunderstanding among cancer patients. Some of the Inspire writers said that health care providers had told them that cancer patients who need increasing doses are addicted; others wrote that their providers said they cannot become addicted because they “don’t get high.” Some providers say those who need increasing doses are addicted, while others say it means they are becoming tolerant or dependent on drugs. These contradictory views leave patients unsure, with many of them opting to live with pain rather than risk addiction.
We read several posts indicating that fear of addiction is causing family caregivers to withhold prescribed pain medications from those they are caring for. Responses to these posts advised against doing that, offering the opinion that managing pain is more important than addiction. While caregivers take this advice seriously and often follow up with a physician, we don’t know what they finally decide to do.
Some of the posts advocated for proper, controlled pain management, arguing that stigma should not interfere with care decisions. Their basic message to other group members is: “Don’t feel guilty for taking pain medication.” They recommend seeking out clinics and teams with expertise in pain management, cautioning that oncologists may excel in their treatment of cancer but are not necessarily knowledgeable about treating cancer-related pain.
Inspire members who wrote that they are not feeling stigmatized expressed confidence in their opioid use, derived from having knowledgeable pain management physicians who are not only experts in the field but who take time to explain pain management strategies and who include patients in decision making. These patients feel they are part of a team that is both instructive and supportive, and experience fewer struggles with access or worries about how to take their medications.
Two decades ago, the medical community woke up to the fact that far too many people with cancer weren’t being properly treated for their pain, sparking a movement to improve pain control that may have helped give rise to the epidemic of opioid misuse now affecting the country. In addressing this problem, the pendulum has swung too far, attaching a stigma to using opioids for legitimate reasons. While individuals treated in pain management clinics or by physicians specializing in pain management may be inoculated against or protected from this stigma, not everyone with cancer has access to these professionals.
What can be done? Education and clear messaging seem to be key. Pharmacists, oncologists, family practitioners, and other clinicians who care for people with cancer need better education about pain management. So do patients with cancer and their caregivers. Pain management awareness campaigns aimed at both patients and physicians could help counteract the stigma and encourage practices that do not hinder legitimate access or use.
People with cancer who need medication to control their pain are getting lost in the middle. They need support, not stigma.
Sara Ray is senior director of research at Inspire, where Kathleen Hoffman is senior health researcher and writer.
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http://www.dispatch.com/opinion/20180706/letter-pay-attention-to-cost-of-prescription
I want to share my recent experience with CVS Caremark. I called my doctor’s office to refill my 30-day prescription at their local dispensary. My two previous orders were 54 cents each, with help from my insurance company. When I asked for another refill, I was informed by the dispensary that CVS Caremark had taken over this prescription.
After going through numerous telephone menus, I was told that this would be fulfilled with a 90-day supply. I received my order yesterday and was billed $12. That is nearly a 750 percent increase from my original price. I am trying to find out the reason for such an increase.
I am thankful that The Dispatch has been doing its investigation into CVS Caremark pricing and suggest other people pay attention to the company’s billing practices.
Joe Erion, Columbus
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https://www.miamiherald.com/news/article213990399.html
HELENA, Mont.
A state judge reversed a decision by the Montana Board of Medical Examiners to suspend the license of a Helena physician after a former employee alleged he overprescribed pain medication.
District Judge James Reynolds ruled Tuesday the board was wrong to reject the findings of its own hearing officer and made other procedural errors in suspending Dr. Mark Ibsen’s license in March 2016.
Reynolds ordered the board to appoint a new hearing officer to review the case, the Independent Record reports .
Two days after the board suspended Ibsen’s license, Reynolds issued an order restraining the board from enforcing its decision. Attorney John Doubek said Wednesday that Ibsen has been unable to practice medicine because of to the “black mark” on his reputation and license.
Department of Labor spokesman Jake Troyer declined to comment.
The case began in 2013 when an employee Ibsen fired filed a complaint alleging Ibsen over-prescribed opioids for some patients.
In July 2015, a Department of Labor hearing officer found Ibsen prescribed pain medication for legitimate medical reasons and encouraged patients to take lower doses or find other alternatives. The officer, however, found Ibsen kept inadequate medical records.
The Board of Medical Examiners rejected the hearing officer’s report after deciding that the officer they appointed was not competent to make many of the findings because he was not a doctor, Reynolds wrote.
State law requires the board to appoint a hearing examiner “with due regard for the expertise required for the particular matter,” the judge noted.
Reynolds also found the board violated Ibsen’s right to due process when one board member questioned the qualifications of one of Ibsen’s experts while deliberating the case, even though the hearing officer had recognized that person as an expert witness. Ibsen was not allowed to rebut the board member’s comments, Reynolds said.
“I think it’s a pretty sharp rebuke to a decision that was totally off-base,” Doubek said of Tuesday’s ruling.
In September 2015, shortly after the arrest of a Florence doctor who was later convicted of negligent homicide in the overdose deaths of two patients, Ibsen said he would no longer treat chronic pain patients. He closed his practice in December 2015.
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My husband who is disabled with a double brain injury full blown glaucoma in his right eye dysphagia a muscle disorder which is deemed the most painful. and hernia. We have to use discount cards to fill his pain prescription.
Walmart said they no longer accept those so I asked if they had any other program to help pay on them.I was told NOT ON THOSE but the price tripled.it went up to 75 dollars cash.I called other pharmacies after I got home and their cash price was 49$ .How can that be such a big difference.
This is how the BIG CHAINS … try to chase some prescription patrons away…
In this particular incident.. WALMART stopped accepting a Rx discount card and then charged the pt WAY ABOVE what is apparently the “going rate” in this particular market place.
Many people seem to be under the opinion that these large chains got LARGE because they offer lower prices .. and/or they offer lower prices because they are LARGE….
And even if you have a “drug card”, those drug cards have ” contractually gagged” pharmacists from telling pts that their cash price is less than your insurance copay.
Dealing with chain pharmacies and drug cards is much like going to Las Vegas and gambling… it is set up so that “the house” has the edge to win.
what is a pt to do ?… check out your local independent pharmacy http://www.ncpanet.org/home/find-your-local-pharmacy
check the prices on www.goodrx.com .. I have heard that these prices are not always exact for a particular store but are typically very close… at least it gives the pt a place to call and check the price. IF they will give you a price on a C-II over the phone.
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Law Firm Faces Charges for Defending Women’s Homeless Shelterwww.toddstarnes.com/faith/law-firm-faces-charges-for-defending-christian-womens-shelter/
An Alaska law firm has been accused of violating a city’s non-discrimination ordinance after they provided legal representation to a Christian women’s shelter accused of violating the same ordinance.
The Anchorage Equal Rights Commission filed a formal complaint against Brena, Bell & Clarkson, charging the law firm with committing “unlawful discriminatory acts or practices” in violation of a city ordinance regarding sex and gender identity.
Their alleged crime is punishable fines and possible jail time.
In early 2018, Kevin Clarkson was asked to represent the Downtown Hope Center, a faith-based non-profit that provides free shelter for homeless women and abused women.
In February the shelter turned away a biological male who identifies as a female. Shelter leadership said the individual was intoxicated.
However, as a religious organization, they do not house biological men in its abused women’s shelter because doing so would traumatize abused and battered women.
The transgender person filed a complaint against the shelter citing the policy over sexual orientation and gender identity.
It was in the context of that incident that Clarkson made comments to local news media regarding the case. And that’s why he’s now facing charges.
The law firm is being represented by First Liberty Institute, one of the nation’s top legal groups specializing in religious liberty cases.
“It’s the most outrageous case I’ve ever seen,” First Liberty’s Hiram Sasser told the Todd Starnes Radio Show. “Because he wrote a brief to the commission defending the shelter and portions of that brief were quoted in the media – he is accused of being in violation of their provision that prohibits you from talking about a policy.”
It raises serious questions about whether American citizens or organizations who are accused of violating sex and gender laws are eligible to receive legal assistance.
“You should be able to have legal counsel and that legal counsel should be able to represent you in court,” Sasser told me. “In Alaska they don’t see it that way.”
First Liberty said the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission is charging their client simply for representing his client.
“This has a tremendous chilling effect on any lawyer who would represent a homeless woman’s shelter,” Sasser said. “To go after the lawyer – that sends a message to all the other lawyers – don’t take on these cases or we will come for you too. That’s extremely scary.”
Every American citizen should have their day in court. To deny someone legal representation because you don’t like their religious viewpoints is unthinkable.
Under the city’s ordinance it’s not out of the realm of possibility that even First Liberty Institute could face charges simply for representing the local attorney.
“We are fully prepared if they charge us,” Sasser said.
Pamela Basler, the executive director of the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, did not return calls seeking comment.
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