This is a 72 page list from the FDA of the 1200 some odd drugs that NECC’s records indicated that they have/had compounded..
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Safety/Recalls/UCM322970.pdf
MORPHINE PF 20.1MG/ML INJ, 40ML RX
MORPHINE PF 20MG/ ML INJ, 20ML RX
MORPHINE PF 25MG/ ML INJ, 20ML RX
I didn’t go over all 72 pages… but… Morphine preservative free (PF) 25mg/ml is commercially available from Baxter as INFUMORPH
To the best of my knowledge.. it is ILLEGAL to produce/compound a commercially available product.
The implanted pumps that these drugs are put in are mostly made by Medtronics and their ability to be nearly infinitely programmed for whatever strength of medication that is put in them… To the best of my knowledge .. there is no logical reason to have the various strengths of Morphine produced… unless the physician was interested in trying to justify using a compounded drug – which typically cost 10%-25% of the commercially available drug – and which the physician is able to bill out using HCPCS with allowables near the cost of the commercially available product.
Just have to follow the money trail.
The question needs to be asked… should these physicians have to repay the insurance companies for billing fraud? Using compounded products that are at/near commercially available products… or where a commercially product would have served the purpose? Or is this a loop hole in the insurance billing process that needs to be closed?
Filed under: General Problems
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