ER meds

I'm seeing a new doctor who checks with the DEA each month to see what prescriptions I've filled. I got a prescription from the ER, if I fill it at a different pharmacy and pay with cash will the doctor know it was filled? Will the DEA have record of my filling it? Just wondering if anyone knows anything about this.

[lonote]

I'm going to take a guess. I bet with some checking, they can find out anything. Short of the last time you used the restroom.

[lonote]

why do you ask?

[101 Dalmatians]

I am also very interested in an answer to the question stadol1 asked!  Do any of you have a friend or a family member who works in a pharmacy you can ask about this issue?  What exactly is the DEA?  I know every doctor has a DEA number.  See, sometimes I go to a pharmacy that knows my insurance information and sometimes I have my meds filled at a few pharmacies that think I don't have any insurance at all, that is the reason I am interested in this.

[emilyanne]

Hi There,
I just wanted to say that if I were you, I'd assume that if it's THAT important to your doc to check up on your scripts, he'll find that other script. Would you mind sharing your story...why does your doc check up like that?? Thanks! Emilyanne

[Skyfoxglitter]

The DEA is the Drug Enforcement Agency, and I am sure every state has some system working with the local DEA to moniter all controlled substances. I know here in Michigan we have what is called "MAPS" which is the Michigan Automated Prescription Service and any doctor, dea agent, or pharmacy can access this service simply put wether you use your insurance or self pay every prescription filled that is controlled and uses the doctors DEA number is automatically put into this system and it will automatically bring up every controlled substance you have filled within the last year, however they can request a print out for up to the last five years... So if you are filling a controlled substance (which is any narcotic) YES it is monitered and they will find out about it. This system was put in effect to aide the DEA and local doctors in weeding out and stopping the "Doctor Shoppers" and drug seeking patients.

[emilyanne]

Oh, also, your doc is checking with the DEA, not the pharmacies, so the DEA will have a record of EVERYTHING filled, no matter where, what, when, etc. Sorry, forgot to add that!

[TimH2]

Skyfox makes a lot of sense, although it may vary from State to State. If you are filling rx's in your state at different pharmacies, the pharmacy most likely will notify your doctors. It is usually the pharmacy that red flags these situations depending on amount of narcotics being written for an individual. The insurance companys will also step in if they find narc abuse. I personally knew a doctor that had a visit from the DEA. This was a few years back and he was writing out a lot of rx's. His waiting room had a 5 hr wait, lol. We had a sting in a town near my home. The pharmacy and the doctor were arrested for bogus rx's. The DEA does not have the time to go through every persons records and usually people are caught by the doc, pharm or insurance co. If you have been receiving, let's say, 10,000 narc pills in a few months, don't answer the door, lol The DEA is looking for distributors (intent to sell) and not so much the individual that is receiving 300 narc pills a month. There are so many people with terminal diseases that receive so many narc meds and the DEA is looking for the big fish or reports of extreme abuse (writing a lot of rx's) by doctors. I hope this makes sense, I am still half asleep right now.