In April of 2012, the Commonwealth of Kentucky declared war of people suffering from chronic pain conditions. It was at this time that the Kentucky state legislature passed House Bill 1. The stated purpose of this piece of legislation is to crack down on the numerous "pill mill" operations which were operating in the Commonwealth at the time. Unfortunately, despite claims to the contrary, the true victims of this bill are those of us who suffer from chronic pain conditions, and the legitimate doctor's who provide pain management treatment.
We can all agree that the "pill mills" were not providing a legitimate service to legitimate pain patients. Many of these offices operated on a cash only basis, and they would provide prescriptions of heavy duty opiates to anyone who could tell a good story. Most of the patrons of these types of operations were not legitimate pain patients, but individuals seeking drugs, whether for there own use of to sell to the many people using opiate medication simply as a means of getting high. Kentucky does have one of the highest rates of drug abuse in the country, with an alarming number of drug overdoses, and deaths.
Unfortunately, HB 1 did not stop at simply shutting down the "pill mills". All doctors in Kentucky have come under suspicion for prescribing opiate pain medications. This includes both family doctors and pain management specialists. The number of prescriptions for opiates that a doctor writes per month is held up to scrutiny by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Because of this, many good doctor's are now refusing to treat patients who are living with chronic pain conditions. These doctor's are in a constant state of fear at the prospect of losing their licenses, and in return, their livelihood. It is much easier for many of these doctor's to simply stop prescribing opiates except in the most extreme cases.
The fallout doesn't stop with the doctor's, however. It rains down upon the thousands of patients suffering from intractable chronic pain. If a person can find a doctor willing to treat them, the pain patient is immediately looked on with suspicion. A state report is generated on each individual patient. This report, known as a KASPER report, shows every doctor the patient has seen and every prescription the patient has received. Because this report is required, each patient is at once looked upon as a potential drug addict. This immediately makes the trust required between physician and patient difficult to achieve at best.
I have personally fallen victim to this new law. Prior to receiving my Medicare, I was treated at a free clinic in my town. The clinic was staffed with volunteers, from the people answering the phone, to the doctor's providing treatment. It was very rare to see the same doctor more than once. When I initially started going to this clinic, they were providing pain management services to me since I had no insurance and was unable to see a pain management provider. Each time I went, I would see a different doctor, who would continue to prescribe my medications.
Two years of this went by, until I finally received my Medicare and was able to find a private physician. During the course of my search, I reinjured my back and made an appointment with a local doctor. This doctor spoke with me for a few minutes, and then excused himself from the exam room. Several minutes later, her returned and I could tell from looking at him that he was angry. For what seemed like an eternity, he berated me. I was called a doctor shopper and a drug addict. I knew immediately that he had run a KASPER report on me and was seeing all the different doctor's that I had seen, as well as the number of prescriptions for narcotics which I had received. I tried to explain to him about having been a patient at our local clinic, but his mind was made up. He informed me that he wasn't willing to risk his career on a drug addict like me. I left the office in tears, and, needless to say, I never returned.
If you think that Kentucky is an isolated case, think again. This most definitely can happen to you! Many states have already enacted similar legislation, or are looking into making similar laws. I am urging you to stay informed. Keep abreast of the type of legislation your state government is trying to pass. Contact your state senators and representatives and let them know how something like this would affect your medical care, as well as your quality of life. Many chronic pain sufferers are bonding together in our state, trying to get this legislation amended in such a way that chronic pain patients are better protected from legislation like this. It is most definitely an uphill battle, but we are making some headway. Don't bury your head in the sand! Stand up and shout as loudly as you can that you deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and do it before it's too late.
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