Medicaid pays for viagra, for sex offenders

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Medicaid pays for viagra, for sex offenders

Posted: 5/22/2005 6:56:46 PM EDT

wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=28673

Sex Offenders on Viagra?

New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi is calling for changes after his office discovered 198 Level three sex offenders are receiving Viagra paid for by Medicaid.

The report, released Sunday, revealed that during January 1, 2000 through March 31, 2005, 198 level three sex offenders recieved Viagra through Medicaid, after they were convicted of a sexual offense.

Hevesi has asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to change federal policies on the distribution of the drug. His office has also contacted the New York State Health Department, which administers the Medicaid program in New York.

Hevesi's office is also looking into whether or not convicted, level three sex offenders are receiving other types of drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction.

For more on this story and to read the letter Hevesi sent to Secretary of Health and Human Services, Michael Leavitt , asking for changes, click on the link to the right.

medicaid shouldn't pay for viagra for anyone, but this is even more ridiculous.
fucking socialist welfare program wasting money

Posted: 5/22/2005 7:02:22 PM EDT

[#1]

Posted: 5/22/2005 7:05:00 PM EDT

[#2]

Make me the pharmacist and I'll give them something to sterilize them and then reduce their sex drive along with their brain activity.

Posted: 5/22/2005 7:20:42 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
Make me the pharmacist and I'll give them something to sterilize them and then reduce their sex drive along with their brain activity.

My prescription would be 45 ACP.........

Posted: 5/22/2005 7:22:34 PM EDT

[#4]

You have to be kidding me.

Also who are the doctors writing the scrips?

Wrong on many levels.

Posted: 5/22/2005 8:01:41 PM EDT

[#5]

what makes it worse is that NY pays more for medicaid than TX and CA COMBINED and is a huge portion of each county's budget

Posted: 5/22/2005 8:03:46 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:

Yeah, pretty much.

Posted: 5/22/2005 8:17:31 PM EDT

[#7]

WTF?

Posted: 5/22/2005 8:21:00 PM EDT

[#8]

Your taxes, your government, at work.

Posted: 5/22/2005 9:53:29 PM EDT

[#9]

Don't worry - Chuck Schumer and The Beast will fix this problem:

N.Y. Audit: Sex Offenders Getting Viagra

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Scores of convicted rapists and other high-risk sex offenders in New York have been getting Viagra paid by Medicaid for the last five years, the state's comptroller said Sunday.

Audits by Comptroller Alan Hevesi's office showed that between January 2000 and March 2005, 198 sex offenders in New York received Medicaid-reimbursed Viagra after their convictions. Those included crimes against children as young as 2 years old, he said.

Hevesi asked Michael Leavitt, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in a letter Sunday to "take immediate action to ensure that sex offenders do not receive erectile dysfunction medication paid for by taxpayers."

A call to Leavitt's office was not immediately returned Sunday.

According to Hevesi, the problem is an unintended consequence of a 1998 directive from federal officials telling states that Medicaid prescription programs must include Viagra. His office discovered that the state was helping sex offenders pay for Viagra by checking Medicaid pharmacy expenditures against the state's sex offender registry.

New York's two senators said Sunday the problem should be corrected.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said in a statement that it was "deeply disturbing and runs contrary to the purpose of Medicaid, which is to provide health care coverage for uninsured, low-income individuals." Clinton, a Democrat, urged Leavitt to look into the matter, and said she would explore legislative options.

New York's other senator, Democrat Chuck Schumer, said at a press conference in New York City that he hoped the issue could be resolved without a bill, but he's prepared to offer one if needed.

"While I believe that HHS did not do this intentionally, when the government pays for Viagra for sex offenders, it could well hurt many innocent people," he said.

New York auditors are reviewing whether other prescription drugs for sexual dysfunction are being reimbursed by Medicaid for convicted sex offenders, Hevesi spokesman David Neustadt said.

While the auditors didn't review the situation on Viagra reimbursement by Medicaid in other states, he said they have no indication that the policies are different elsewhere.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Medicaid pays for viagra, for sex offenders

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