DeGette Leads Examination into Medicare Waste and Abuse Affecting Prescription Drugs

WASHINGTON –U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01) headed the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation's latest effort to examine fraud and abuse in Medicare Part D. Vulnerabilities in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program. Today's hearing focused on inappropriate prescribing and diversion of opioids; this is the subcommittee's fifth hearing in an ongoing investigation of the prescription drug abuse epidemic across the country.

"Prescription drug abuse is a serious problem facing communities in the Denver metro area and across our country," said Rep. DeGette. "Over 2.1 million Americans live with a prescription opioid addiction while 467,000 Americans are addicted to heroin. It is unacceptable that vulnerabilities in Medicare Part D are making these dangerous drugs more readily available to people who would abuse them. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stamp out fraud and abuse that puts our communities at risk."

Drug diversion and overprescribing remain serious challenges to the Part D program. Between 2006 and 2014, Part D spending for commonly abused opioids grew by 156 percent, outpacing the growth in spending for all Part D drugs. Additionally, generic Vicodin was the number one prescribed drug in the Part D program in 2013.