Media Advisory: Health Care is Focus of Attorneys General Meeting

The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) Southern Region is holding a one-and-a-half-day meeting in Nashville, Tenn. It will focus on “Healthcare Dynamics in the 21st Century” and Tennessee Attorney Herbert H. Slatery III will host. He serves as chair of the NAAG Southern Region.

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Attorneys General Endorse Federal Bill to Expand Authority of Medicaid Fraud Control Units

Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) is endorsing federal legislation (H.R. 3891) that would improve states’ ability to combat abuse and neglect of Medicaid patients. Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that provides medical benefits to millions of Americans. Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs), the majority of which are in state AG…

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Prosecuting Drug Overdose Cases: A Paradigm Shift

The number of overdose deaths in the United States has risen alarmingly; they are now the number one cause of accidental deaths. Investigating and prosecuting these deaths as homicides requires re-thinking how law enforcement handles these deaths and a thorough understanding of the laws supporting prosecuting the dealer who sold the drugs.

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Attorneys General Urge Health Insurance Companies to Reduce Provider Incentives for Prescribing Pain Killers

Washington, D.C.—The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter today to America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), asking its insurance company members to review payment and coverage policies and revise them, as needed, to encourage healthcare providers to choose alternatives to prescribing prescription pain relievers known as opioids. Opioid overdoses kill 91 Americans every…

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Bridging the Gaps to Reduce Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse and Misuse

While being in the throes of a national opioid abuse epidemic, a recently released NAGTRI report offers best and promising practices generated from a November 2016 Summit with law enforcement and public health officials. The link to a free website copy is provided.

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“First, Do No Harm”: Criminal Prosecutions of Doctors for Distributing Controlled Substances Outside of Legitimate Medical Need

NAGTRI revisited a 2007 study on physicians who had been prosecuted for prescribing controlled substances. The goal of this project was to determine if there had been any shift in the numbers of prosecutions, patient addictions, or states issuing opioid prescription guidelines since the 2007 study in an effort to curb the opioid abuse epidemic across the country.

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Media Advisory: Health Care Marketplace is Focus of AGs Summit

NAAG is holding its Presidential Initiative Summit with a theme of, “Evolving Challenges in the American Health Care Marketplace.” NAAG President and Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen will host, and 22 state attorneys general will attend.

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Land Banks: A Viable Solution for Revitalizing Abandoned, Derelict Properties

This article explores the costly effects of abandoned properties within municipalities and how attorneys general offices have used land banks to revitalize communities in their states.

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Managers as Caretakers: Rule 5.1

This is an ongoing column exploring various ethical topics relevant to attorneys general and other government attorneys. This issue addresses how managers can make reasonable efforts to ensure that the lawyers they supervise conduct themselves ethically. It notes that the legal profession is struggling with substance abuse and mental health issues in a much higher proportion than the general population.

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