48% of CT Medicaid highest prescribing physicians get drug company perks

According to the CT Health I-Team, the highest prescribing doctors in CT for many medications receive large payments for speaking fees and travel from the companies that manufacture those same medications. Forty of the 108 physicians in CT’s Medicaid program with the highest psychotropic and pain medication prescribing rates get perks from the companies that make those same drugs. The analysis, covering 2008 to 2011, was triggered by a request from US Sen. Grassley to state Medicaid programs. This year marks a record in federal penalties against drug makers for improper marketing and other infractions. In September of next year drug companies will have to report all payments to providers under the Affordable Care Act, but advocates are skeptical that transparency will end the link between prescribing and marketing.