Controlled Substances

Medicaid Data May Be Useful for Monitoring Diversion Gao ID: HRD-88-111 August 1, 1988

In response to a congressional request, GAO assessed the possibility of using Medicaid data to identify health care providers who may be diverting prescription drugs for illegal purposes.

GAO found that states should use data contained in the Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) to identify health care providers who may be illegally diverting controlled substances, since: (1) states' MMIS often comprise the largest databases on the prescription and dispensing of controlled substances; (2) Medicaid laws allow disclosure of the data; and (3) it would enable law enforcement officials and licensing and regulatory agencies to identify sources of drug diversion.

Recommendations

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