Narcotic Prescriptions Up for TennCare

Narcotic prescriptions are up for TennCare enrollees in the state. Narcotic drugs are drugs that reduce pain and / or alter moods or behaviors. Narcotic drugs are highly addictive and are the most widely drug sold illegally on the street. The state says that narcotic prescriptions have increased by 48% in just four years, even though TennCare says they are reforming fraud. Despite the increase between 2007 and 2011, the numbers are better than they were in 2005, when TennCare spent $113-million dollars on narcotic prescriptions. Between 2005 and ’07, the cost of narcotic prescriptions dropped by $33.5-million dollars. But, during that time the number of TennCare enrollees also dropped by 300-thousand people. We then saw an increase in enrollees between 2007 and 2011.