“In a remarkable investigation, CBS News correspondent Jim
Axelrod and producer Emily Rand have discovered that
unwitting patients across the country were sent millions of
dollars in medications they did not order.” The drugs are
“made by compounding pharmacies which mix custom drugs
for” physicians, but in this case, “the combination of the
compounding pharmacy with a telemarketer added up to
outrageous bills to Medicare and private insurance.” In the
specific case of a couple interviewed by CBS, “their insurance
had been billed, $2,500 for a pain cream, $3,600 for a migraine
cream and nearly $13,000 for a scar gel.” The investigation
learned that the medicines were pitched by Western Medical
“as a free benefit paid by insurance,” and if a patient expressed
interest Western Medical “sent over pre-written prescriptions
for the doctor to sign.”
