that is criminal in my humble opinion...I deal with medicaid for next few weeks then I go onto medicare....I will be happy to be done with medicaid....they suck rocks....

Bill medicare is great but they just denied my ER morphine med. I think mine was because it was a name brand and trying to keep a low dose I was taking too many lower dose than necessary. I had to change to a generic oxymorphone at a higher dose. All insurance companies know more than doctors. Didn't you know that? Lol
Jasmine

I hate insurance companies. Mine recently sent me a letter trying to get me to switch from my familiar retail pharmacy to mail-order. If you did NOT call them to let them know your preference within x-number of days, then they would drop your coverage and you'd have to pay full retail.

Isn't that nice?

if there's a cheaper form of morphine out there and your morphine extended release is too expensive ask the pharmacy or doctor if they have other morphine that's not extended release or cheaper then Medicaid would possibly ok it. They don't like paying for expensive or brand name medication

I am very sorry for your dilemma. I agree with Bill right off, saying it is criminal. We are under attack from the chronic pain hierarchy. Damn insurance companies! Why do they want us to suffer?

I pray you can get the medicine that you need. Much luck to you.

heatherhurts

I'm sorry they're taking away your much needed medication. The sad fact of the matter is when we're sick, vulnerable, and dependent on the government for assistance, they hold all of the cards. I think Obamacare is pushing all of this no opiates for non-cancer pain stuff. You do have some sort of an option though. You can try and get your psych doctor to prescribe you a generic and then take that to a separate pharmacy and pay cash for the script. It won't show up on your insurance and then you can choose to have Medicaid to continue to pay for your Morphine. I hope you get this straightened out as soon as possible. Good luck.

Thanks for your replies. It just ticks me off. Jeremy that's a good idea but will only work if the pharmacy doesn't know I have insurance. If they know you are insured they will not let you pay cash, been through it before.

Each state Medicaid program decides what they will and won't cover. It is possible that Medicaid will cover the Morphine ER if your dr does a Prior Authorization. You may also be able to appeal the decision. Studies have shown that those on Medicaid are more inclined to abuse and divert medications. They also do this because of the number of death related to opiates and lorazepam. Your state may also be doing this because you have a history of mental illness and they are concerned about an OD. Even if ypu were tp pay for one of the meds yourself, it is possible that Medicaid won't pay for the other one. It may also be related to your Medicaid Health Plan, if you have one, and not ypur state Medicaid program.

Wow, this is insane! Wtf?
It is up to your doctor to decide which combination of meds is okay for you!
So, what's the alternative? Are they going to cover any other benzo? Like Clonazepam?

They will continue to cover the lorazepam as long as I don't get the morphine er. I am going to call doctor again tomorrow and see if he can appeal it. Thanks.

You will have to contact your Medicaid Health Plan or your state Medicaid office if you want to appeal the decision.

That is not fair. Insurance companies are not doctors and should not have the power to do that. It seems like us chronic pain patients are always fighting to keep our medicines fighting for ourselves in one way or another. This is disturbing to me. Hang in there appeal and fight for your right for your pain meds. Dont give up and i hope they give you something for pain while this process is going on. Keep us updated. My prayers are with you. angela

Horrible.

What a sad, sad state of affairs the U.S. healthcare system is in. I only hope and pray the next administration makes some serious changes for the better for us pain patients. I've sent so many letters to all of my representatives and, so far, have only gotten the standard, "thanks for contacting us," letter back with ZERO interest in helping pain patients. There is so much at work, it's hard to untangle the why for your particular case. But it's politically driven and, while I haven't been successful with my political reps, I suggest everyone who has had any difficulty at all with obtaining medications either from doctors, pharmacists, or insurance...push through the pain and write ONE single letter and send it to everyone you can. We can't expect change if we don't use our voices. I may not be able to change anything singlehandedly, but I am certainly trying. It took me a LONG time to finish that letter but I finally did and I use the same one but change a few things each time I send another batch out.

I get more and more disgusted with the healthcare system every day. I decided to seek therapy to help deal with the pain from the psychological perspective and that has been just as useless as going to a medical doctor. Here, Michelle, complete this stupid worthless packet and come back in a month...maybe we'll talk more about your physical pain...but I'm more interested in your childhood. WTF? My childhood was FINE, ugh.

Sorry but I get fired up with this stuff.

I agree with Redheaddiva 100 % !!! My Medicaid will not pay for my Lorazapam while I am on Buprenorphine even though both of my Dr.s' have communicated and approved it. I do not think my insurance co. should have authority over my Dr.s' regarding prescribing my meds. Medicaid also requires a prior authorization on my Lidocaine patches every 3 months! You would think they would be happy I have found a treatment modality that is not an opiate that works, somewhat.
I have written a letter to the New Mexico Govenor, Susana Martinez. I mailed it about 3 or 4 months ago. Haven't recieved a reply. I agree, I need to send more out...

In recent yrs,most states have refused to pay for benzodiazepines, but in Jan 2014 the feds said they had to cover it.

http://www.medicaid.gov/Medicaid-CHIP-Program-Information/By-Topics/Benefits/Prescription-Drugs/Downloads/Rx-Releases/MFR-Releases/mfr-rel-088.pdf