Washington, DC’s Medicaid rules criticized

Washington, DC, officials are enforcing new guidelines for prescription drugs for thousands of Medicaid patients, and many doctors are complaining that it is more difficult for sick people to receive some medicines and that some people's health is being endangered. A new pharmacy benefits contractor for the District has began requiring many patients to have prescriptions for some pain medication and gastrointestinal drugs preapproved by District Medicaid officials. The result has been delays of several days for some patients to receive medicine.