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Grandparents Keep Meds Away From Grandchildren

by Kimberly Johnson
written by Kimberly Johnson

Grandparents love to spend time with their grandchildren. Many times, however, tiny fingers can end up in places they shouldn’t, which is why putting precious or breakable objects out of reach of curious little hands is important. Equally important (if not more so) is keeping medicines and vitamins up and away and out of sight of young children.

Consider this: more than 70,000 children end up in emergency departments each year after getting their hands on medicines left within reach. That’s 165 kids—or roughly four busloads of kids — per day. Quite often, that medicine belonged to a grandparent.

Where are children getting these medicines? From countertops, bedside tables, purses and pockets, and loose pills that fall on tables or floors. While weekly pill minders are great at help-ing to keep track of multiple medications, they rarely have a child-proof feature, so an inquisitive child can get into the colorful medicines stored inside.

“Grandparents and parents may not be aware of the danger posed by leaving medications where young children can reach or see them,” says Dr. Dan Budnitz, director of the Medication Safety Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “A few simple steps — followed every time — can protect our children.”

So, grandparents, do enjoy your time with your grandchildren, but whether you’re having them over to your house, or visiting theirs, remember to store your medicines in a place they can’t access.

The following tips are from the CDC’s “Up and Away and Out of Sight” initiative:

  • Keep all medicines and vitamins up and away and out of sight in a high cabinet or shelf that your grandchildren can’t get to. If you think you might forget to take your medicine if they are not in plain sight, leave yourself a reminder on the refrigerator or somewhere that you check daily.
  • Never leave medicines or vitamins out on a counter or bedside table, even if you have to take the medicine just a few hours later.
  • Re-lock the safety cap on a medicine bottle. If the bottle has a locking cap that turns, twist it until you hear the click.
  • Never tell children medicine is candy, even if your grandchild doesn’t like to take his or her medicine.
  • Keep purses, bags or coats that have medicines or vitamins in them out of reach and sight of young ones.
  • Program the Poison Help number (1-800-222-1222) into your phone so you have it in case of an emergency.

 

Visit UpandAway.org for more tips on safe medicine storage.

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Health Insurance

Insurers End Coverage for Key Drugs

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

18142Insurance is ending coverage for some key drugs that affect the health of patients. It’s a David-vs.-Goliath dispute, and millions of patients are caught in the middle — perhaps even unaware they’re about to lose coverage for compounded medications they need for their conditions. Insurers End Coverage for Key Drugs
At issue are the customized medications pharmacists prepare for patients who can’t metabolize or tolerate commercial drugs. Compounded medicines often are the only option for doctors treating certain children and seniors, patients coping with the pain of cancer and diabetes, and those with liver or kidney diseases.
In one corner: powerful insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) hell-bent on saving money by eliminating or cutting coverage of those medications.
In the other corner, fighting to reverse their moves: a coalition of patients, physicians, pharmacists and pro-patient groups like the Veterans Advocacy Group of America, the Kidney Cancer Association and the Arthritis Foundation.
“This is about shifting costs to patients,” says Jay McEniry, executive director of Patients and Physicians for Rx Access (saverxaccess.org). “Physicians are being placed in the impossible position of either prescribing a compounded medication the patient needs but can’t afford, or prescribing a less effective treatment because it may be covered by the patient’s insurance.”
The list of “Goliaths” who’ve announced or already implemented such cutbacks now includes United Healthcare/Optum Rx, Catamaran, CVS/Caremark, Harvard Pilgrim and Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in several states.
But the coalition’s immediate wrath is directed at the nation’s largest PBM: Express Scripts, which in September is slated to stop covering 1,000 drug ingredients commonly found in compounded medications — effectively “eliminating an entire class of medications,” says McEniry.
Express Scripts and others argue that commercial drugs can do the job just as well for less money. But try telling that to patients like Linda Sauer.
The Dwight, Illinois, woman relies on her doctor-prescribed compounded medications for relief from several painful and debilitating conditions, and is outraged that Express Scripts’ decision leaves her no choice but to pay for them out of pocket.
“They’re denying me access to medicines that work better than the mass-produced drugs I’ve tried,” she says. “It will cost me and others hundreds of dollars per month.”
Sauer at least has read the advisory notice from Express Scripts, which the coalition claims gives “misleading reasons” for targeting what it calls “essential medicines” whose ingredients are purchased from FDA-regulated suppliers. But what of patients who didn’t?
Sadly, they’re in for a shock the next time they try to fill a prescription.

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