Attorneys General Ask Apple and Google to Ensure All Contact Tracing Apps Serve a Public Health Purpose
NAAG sent a letter to the chief executive officers of Google and Apple asking them to ensure all contact tracing and exposure notification apps related to COVID-19 adequately protect consumers’ personal information.
State and Territory Attorneys General Seek Congressional Support for Autism Services
Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter to congressional leadership, asking them to authorize the Autism CARES Act of 2019. This legislation provides ongoing federal support for research into autism spectrum disorders (“ASD”) and services to those affected by these conditions. “According to the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, one out…
Media Advisory: Ensuring Quality Health Care for Constituents is Focus of Attorneys General Meeting
The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) Midwestern Region is holding a one-and-a-half-day meeting in Omaha, Neb. The meeting, hosted by Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson who serves as Chair of the NAAG Midwestern Region, will focus on “Confronting Health Care: The State’s Role in Combating Rising Costs and Ensuring Quality Care for our Constituents.”
State Attorneys General Express Concern Regarding HHS Pain Management Draft Report
Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sharing concerns about the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force Draft Report (Draft Report). The letter was addressed to Dr. Vanila Singh, chief medical officer for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health….
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.
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…
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.
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…
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.
“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.
