Is it illegal to shop for a doctor?

In addition, 20 states have also passed specific doctor shopping laws that prohibit patients from knowingly withholding information from doctors regarding controlled substances or prescriptions they have received from other healthcare practitioners. Not only can patients be charged for doctor shopping, but their “victims” may be in trouble as well.

What is the legal definition of doctor shopping?

Doctor Shopping Law and Legal Definition. Doctor shopping is the practice of a patient requesting simultaneous care from multiple physicians without making efforts to coordinate care or informing the physicians of the multiple caregivers. For example, it can happen when a person visits one doctor and obtains a prescription.

Is it an offense to obtain a controlled substance by doctor shopping?

It is an offense for a person to obtain or attempt to obtain a controlled substance by using this type of fraud. There are state specific laws regulating the same. The following is an example of a State Statute ( (Connecticut) on doctor shopping

When is it a crime to visit another doctor for a prescription?

For example, it can happen when a person visits one doctor and obtains a prescription. Then, the person visits another doctor and obtains another prescription for the same drug. Many people commit this crime due to an addiction to or reliance on, certain prescription drugs.

What are the laws on doctor shopping drugs?

States with general doctor shopping laws prohibit patients from obtaining drugs by any or all of the following means: fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, subterfuge, or concealment of material fact. While all states and the District of Columbia have general doctor shopping laws, the language used in the laws varies across jurisdictions.

Is there any way to prevent doctor shopping?

While it can be difficult for health care providers to recognize doctor shopping, there are steps they can take to prevent it. State programs that track prescriptions help doctors and pharmacists track possible cases of doctor shopping and other forms of drug diversion.

Can a doctor see if you are doctor shopping?

These are the types of red flags that can send Kentucky doctors to check a state database to see if a patient is “doctor shopping” for addictive painkillers. Prescription drug abuse kills more people a year in the United States than cocaine and heroin combined, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

How many opioid prescriptions does Doctor shop for?

Although doctor shoppers made up a mere 0.7 percent of all American patients with opioid prescriptions that year, they purchased 2 percent of all opioid prescriptions and 4 percent of the total amount of opioid medications measured by weight.