Medical Malpractice Insurance Proposal

We have worked to incentivize best practices. In another first-of-its-kind proposal, the Attorney General's Office urged malpractice insurance companies in West Virginia to discount premiums for doctors who further their education in treating pain with non-opioid alternatives.

The proposal suggests additional discounts for physicians who demonstrate best practices in several key areas like: knowing the risks of opioid treatment, treating patients with the appropriate caution and providing non-opioid alternatives when possible.

We believe such a strategy would better equip the state’s doctors in prescribing opioid painkillers and non-opioid alternatives.

View a copy of the letter at http://1.usa.gov/1WUVIIp.

$10M Return to Fight Substance Abuse

The West Virginia Attorney General's Office sent $10 million to back to the state’s General Fund and Governor’s Office with hopes to spur drug abuse treatment and reduce the backlog of drug tests at the West Virginia State Police crime lab.

The Attorney General's Office believes this $10 million demonstrates his administration’s efforts to help West Virginia fund its battle against prescription drug and heroin abuse, an epidemic killing far too many in the Mountain State.

The Attorney General's Office returned $5 million in March, $2 million in 2015, $9 million in 2014 and $7.5 million in 2013.

24/7 Sobriety Program Proposal

The West Virginia Attorney General's Office sent a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Trump and House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Shott urging them to explore the 24/7 Sobriety Program substance abuse recidivism initiative during the 2016 legislative session.

The office has been examining South Dakota’s 24/7 Sobriety Program and its potential benefits for the Mountain State.

South Dakota’s attorney general pioneered the project and administers it to this day. The 24/7 Sobriety Program represents a cutting edge offender-funded, court-monitored initiative that focuses on repeat DUI offenders.

The initiative requires participants to submit routine alcohol breath tests and urine drug screens, while also employing use of the SCRAM ankle bracelet for nonstop monitoring of alcohol intake. Drug patches are used to test for drugs by collecting sweat samples.

The project has had a significant impact in lowering recidivism rates, while also serving the interest of public safety and saving money for states that have adopted the initiative.

To view a copy of the letter: http://1.usa.gov/1QZpMAQ.

The West Virginia Attorney General's Office called upon officials to remove questions from a federal hospital survey, which he believes encourages doctors to over prescribe opioids.

The Attorney General outlined concern in a letter sent July 7 to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding its Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey. The letter highlights three questions linking pain management with government reimbursements.

The consumer assessment survey consists of 32 questions. The letter raises concern with three – “During this hospital stay, did you need medicine for pain?” “How often was your pain well controlled?” “How often did the hospital staff do everything they could to help you with your pain?”

The letter cites two studies that found nearly half of respondents improperly prescribed opioid painkillers in direct response to those questions. The Attorney General suggests removing the questions will empower physicians to practice without fear of a poor survey score jeopardizing their compensation or employment.

Read the full letter here http://bit.ly/29vuGH6.