Part D for Dumb?

Medicare Part D helps people pay for drugs.  However, there is no attempt made by Medicare to see that the drugs prescribed are actually related to the patient's condition and may actually benefit the patient.  ProPublica has analyzed four years of Medicare prescription records and found that some doctors and other health professionals across the country prescribe large quantities of drugs that are potentially harmful, disorienting or addictive. Sadly, federal officials have done little to detect or deter these hazardous prescribing patterns.

Some drugs increase the risk of death in some cases.  Others are used in situations where there is little scientific support.  Soma, a muscle relaxant, is banned in Europe; yet in 2010 more than 500,000 prescriptions were written for the drug to patients 65 and older.

The Inspector General at HHS has criticized the failure of medicare personnel to police the use of Part D, but without getting any changes in procedures. State Medicaid programs police their programs. Medicare does nothing with providers who have been suspended or disciplined by other regulatory authorities.

Oh, well.  It's only our money and our lives.