INDICES> Rimonabant - one to watch (2)

["Stevan Gressitt" <gressitt@uninets.net>]

Indices - Rimonabant (2)


A small complication at least in the United States. On January 1, 2006
medicaid and medicare will explicitly stop coverage for all weight loss/gain
drugs for dual-eligibles. The poor and the disabled will not have access to
this drug.  Or benzodiazepines.  (Question is do they need them - ed?)

See "Medicare Program; Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (CMS-4068-P)" at
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicarereform/
or at
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov
/2004/pdf/04-17234.pdf.

 or http://www.ascp.com/medicarerx/docs/MMA_Benzos.pdf which also lists the
excluded categories, the weight loss category is listed at the top as you
can see in this issue brief.

 Stevan Gressitt, M.D.
 www.noemaine.org/benzo/benzo.htm

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