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Plan, PBM programs help identify prescription drug abusers: programs track prescribing patterns, match claims against certain criteria, alert physicians to potential problems.

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ABUSE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS has been depicted in movies and played out on the streets of America, but how much attention is being paid to abuse of prescription drugs? As more drugs are being prescribed and access is just a copayment away, the potential for abuse is a growing problem.

The elderly are among those most vulnerable to prescription drug abuse or misuse because they are prescribed more medications than their younger counterparts. However, a report by the University of Michigan shows that 15% of high-school seniors said they used a prescription for non-medical reasons in the prior year, and that overall use of prescription drugs by teenagers has risen over the past decade.

An estimated 20% of the U.S. population has used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons in their lifetimes, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, while young adults ages 18 to 25 show the greatest overall use of painkillers.

The statistics are registering with health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), who have created programs to identify members...

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