Baddour Votes to Combat Prescription Drug Abuse

February 2, 2012

BOSTON – With the abuse of prescription pain killers having reached epidemic levels in Massachusetts, the Senate on Thursday unanimously passed legislation for strict oversight of the drugs, Senator Steven A. Baddour (D-Methuen) announced. The bill will reduce the excess supply of pills and require physician registration in the state’s Prescription Monitoring Program to prevent patients from “doctor shopping” for highly addictive medications such as OxyContin and Vicodin.

“Abuse of prescription drugs has a shattering effect on all families in the Commonwealth, including those who become addicted to medications and everyone who is inflicted with higher health-care costs and decreased public safety,” said Senator Baddour.  “I am pleased to vote on this bill, which will provide practical and cost-effective measures to reduce prescription drug abuse across Massachusetts.”

A report released by the OxyContin and Heroin Commission in 2009 found that Massachusetts has one of the highest rates of opiate abuse in the nation, causing 3,265 deaths from 2002 to 2007 and 23,369 hospitalizations in 2006 alone.

The Drug Enforcement Agency reports that Vicodin is the second-most abused drug by high school seniors, behind marijuana, and opiate addiction is the leading cause of property crime. Meanwhile, taxpayers are spending hundreds-of-millions of dollars annually in costs associated with the epidemic – including hospital visits, court appearances, jail time and social services.

The bill increases prescription drug security by making enrollment in the state’s Prescription Monitoring Program mandatory. The top 30 percent of prescribers...

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SENATOR BADDOUR LAUDS GOVERNOR’S WELFARE FRAUD INITIATIVE

SENATOR BADDOUR LAUDS GOVERNOR’S WELFARE FRAUD INITIATIVE

Hopes to Collaborate Further with Patrick Administration and Auditor Bump to Eliminate Fraud

January 25, 2012 –Governor Patrick's 2013 Budget Proposal includes funding for a new Welfare Fraud Prevention Unit within the Bureau of Special Investigations, a division of the Office of Auditor Suzanne Bump.

“I applaud Governor Patrick for taking this much needed, proactive step towards ensuring that our state’s public benefit system is helping those who need it and routing out those who are obtaining benefits fraudulently,” said Senator Baddour.  “We must ensure that our taxpayers have confidence that their tax dollars are going to those who genuinely need a hand up in these difficult economic times.  I look forward to collaborating with both the Governor and Auditor Bump on making additional changes to the way the welfare system is currently administered and working hard to ensure that my proposals to ensure the integrity of the public benefits system are enacted quickly.”

While the Bureau of Special Investigations currently investigates complaints and reports of welfare fraud, under Governor Patrick's proposal, the new unit will analyze data to proactively prevent and stop fraud on it own initiative.

The Bureau of Special Investigations has existed for three years and has seen a return of $2.50 for every $1 spent on investigations, identifying over $13 million in fraud over the past three years alone.

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