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Health & wellness

Boston.com

Blue Cross plan targets abuse of painkillers

By Kay Lazar

 |  Globe Staff  

  May 07, 2012

Amid a rising sea of addictions to prescription painkillers, Massachusetts’ largest health insurer is launching a policy to curb abuse by significantly limiting the amount of pain medications most patients can receive without prior approval. The program by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, scheduled to start July 1, will allow patients to fill an initial 15-day prescription and one additional 15-day supply of the most common opioid drugs before the insurer hits the pause button.

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