Apr 01 2009
Being Bipolar: Texas bill requires state approval for psychiatric drugs
The state of Texas is trying to pass a bill requiring state approval before prescribing anti-psychotic drugs to children under 11 on Medicaid. While there is certainly a need for some type of regulation of the use of these medications in younger children, is this really the appropriate way to do it?
The issue is that it will essentially make doctors second guess a diagnosis and what they prescribe. Doctors may become even more hesitant to prescribe these types of drugs to a child even when they clearly need it. Will there be an agency with enough resources to expeditiously review these prescriptions? If not, some children may experience significant delays in receiving necessary treatment.
The state of Florida passed a similar law in 2008. It requires state approval for Medicaid recipients under the age of 6. Prescriptions for anti-psychotic drugs for preschoolers have dropped 75% and 200 doctors have stopped prescribing them all together. While Florida states that the program is a great success, some doctors disagree. They say their patients are suffering and many have experienced delays in receiving refills.
The Dallas News reports that Rep. Veronica Gonzales, D-McAllen, said at a committee hearing last week that she fears Texas health officials won’t have enough staff to perform individual assessments on every child on Medicaid that needs an anti-psychotic drug.
“I just worry we’re going to have people not getting the medication they do need because the department doesn’t have the time or resources,” she said. (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/040109dnmetpsychdrugs.3c447d2.html )
As I said before, I truly understand the need for regulation of the use of these drugs in younger children but I worry about the children who sincerely need this type of medication and how this bill may hinder their ability to receive necessary medications. Should the state be allowed to step in and decide who should have these medications? I would love to hear your opinion.
I think it is sad that the “government” is so involved in medicine. I worry that the people that actually need the medications wont get it because of this kind of program. On the other hand it might cut down on over prescribing to people that don’t need it and might be better treated with counseling or behavior modification. There is such a thin line that doctors have to walk in these types of situations…