Stop the Opiate Tax aka The Lifeboat Act
Public Comments (806)
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Jun 5th, 2016Someone from Chugiak, AK signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from Arcadia, FL writes:
This is crimal, if this is the train of tjought why not tax type 2 diabetics on their medications to help the war on obesity and cholesterol medication, this is cruel and perposterios many of the paitents are disabled and elderly and wracked with medical bills why make it harder, we are not the ones abusing medications.Jun 5th, 2016Someone from Las Vegas, NV signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from Coram, NY signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from North Matewan, WV writes:
Legalizing cannibis and marijuana is the only way to cut down on opiate addiction.....if an addiction is a sickness as it is called today(my opinion will always be its a choice)then why not legalize the cure.....not only for addiction but for alot of deseases like cancer,diabetes,hepititis,PTSD,insomnia,epilepsy,chronic pain,and so on.....I mean seriously you people need to get on board and push to legalize gods cure.....exedus30:23!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Wylie, TX writes:
Look up Arachnoiditus!!! Then tell us we have to pay out the nose when we are unable to work because of medical error. This only hurts those who aren't rich like Prince or Michael Jackson. Do you think I want to try to scrape by on Social Security Disability? The Legislation of NO doesn't work.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Burlington, CT signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from North Pole, AK writes:
People use opioid medications as prescribed by their licensed physicians for the management of their severe, often debilitating pain. To tax this 'lifeline' will negatively affect the financial resources of those who need it most. What good is a medication if the price, including the tax, makes it financially impossible to get. There are other solutions to the war on drug abuse, this is NOT one of them. Chronic pain sufferers are not criminals.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Cape Canaveral, FL signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from Paradise, CA writes:
Why aren't you using the money President Obama offered for drug abuse treatment issues? There is 1.1 Billion for drug abuse treatment assistance why wouldn't you use those funds for those that can't afford drug treatment? This tax is a clear violation of pain sufferers human rights. This is an act of Discrimination. This tax only further stigmatizes & victimizes innocent pain patients simply because of medications they are prescribed. Drug addicts chose to abuse drugs why would you think responsible non addicted patients are supposed to be responsible for & pay for their poor choices? Why do you think stigmatizing and discriminating against pain patients is acceptable? There is no reason drug treatment should be at the expense of those chronically ill because of medications they are prescribed. There is no longer any excuse for ignorance and not knowing the difference between pain sufferers and drug abusers. It has also been proven repeatedly 95% of patients prescribed opioid pain medications take their medications responsibly without any issues of abuse without any problems. You can not single out pain sufferers and make them responsible for irresponsible drug addicts choices. It is long over due for drug abusers to take responsibility for their actions, for their choices and choosing to abuse drugs they ended up addicted too. You can not tax a group of people for the actions of another group it is violating our human rights as human beings to not be punished for others actions and this is clearly punishing patients for the actions of drug addicts. Drug treatment is an insurance issue, an insurance expense or a medi-cal issue not other non related patients responsibility. Why should any patient need to pay a tax on their medications to provide a Meth addict, a cocaine addict, a heroin addict drug abuse treatment? There are no other Federal Taxes on medications why now why this one? This issue is simply being used as another attack on those that are ill or injured needing opioid medications that they can barely access as it is since the so called epidemic of drug abuse was created for profit and clearly this is just another way to profit from it. Enough is enough, it is long past time to stop discriminating, abusing, slandering torturing innocent pain sufferers in this country. Pain sufferers are being severely discriminated against, abused and tortured literally to death as it is for crimes they never committed and this must stop. When will the innocent stop being punished for the actions of the irresponsible in this country?REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Crownsville, MD writes:
This tax is not the answer. Don't punish people like me who use opioid medication responsibly, as prescribed, to treat severe chronic pain.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Plainfield, IN writes:
This is just another unfair step against Chronic Pain Patients!! We take our medication as directed... Why should we be punished yet again to pay for something that has nothing to do with us?? You need to hear our stories- no one is listening to how these medications help us live somewhat of a productive life..REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Riverview, FL writes:
Chronic pain patients are real people who face a daily hell on earth dealing with pain that most people will not ever know. Please don\'t mistake every pain patient as a drug seeker, nor doctors who choose to treat them as drug dealers. Chronic pain patients have suffered enough. Let\'s not add insult to injury. Please look into real pain patients before making decisions that adversely affect them.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Oklahoma City, OK writes:
I live every day of my life in severe pain, due to a combat related injury. I have an incurable spine disease due to that injury. Something that may eventually take away use of my legs in a long, agonizingly painful way. Having opiate meds is the only way I get even a few hours of sleep at night. And you may ask well where is the VA to take care of this. Well they make it so hard to have my pain management Dr who is not with the VA because they don't even have that specialty in the VA here in Oklahoma city. So I would have to use my general practitioners write them, and well they have no real clue what they are doing with mixing a cocktail of different types of meds to control the pain, and progression of my disease in a safe way. So I am forced to pay for it, or take the paperwork from my pain management Dr and then see if my general practitioners will agree and then have the VA Dr write them, and well as they have no clue what they are doing they just say I should be ok with just taking motrin. As well I don't trust the government to hold a pot of money set aside for a reason, as well social security was set aside to help with the elderly, and well the robbed from that and now give just enough money to those needing it for them to get sub par care. It's sad that those we need to take care of get worse care then those in prison because the SO program is that bad. I gave my health for this country and you want to take more of my money away even more? Sounds like a completely misguided use of paper, and time for those who say they represent We The People. Look at things of you want to tax the 95% because the 5% can't read the side of the bottle and abuse the med. Wake up. Maybe those who vote for this bill in Congress and the house should just donate out of their pockets from their ridiculous paycheck they get to work part time and get nothing done anyway. As well I had to work for half my life and sacrifice my health to get a retirement just barely good enough to support my family, but they work for 2 years part time and get a massive paycheck and the best medical insurance there is for the rest of their life for free.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Moreno Valley, CA signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from Yuma, AZ writes:
As a mother who has lost her son to drug abuse, ( he died four years ago) and a person that suffers Chiari Malformation this is NOT the answer. To tax someone to benefit another segment is unfortunately becoming the American way. Opiates are not the only problem, Doctors need better training in pain relief. Heroin is readily accessible in every town in the US. Are we going to push law abiding, chronically ill patients to the underworld of illegal drugs?REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Marrero, LA signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from Tampa, FL writes:
I don't think it's fair to make the disable, pained citizens pay for the mistakes of those who abuse/ abused opiates.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Tampa, FL signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from Westlake, OH writes:
Now we're going to be taxed on our pain medications? The majority of people on pain medication are on Social Security Disability or are elderly. I'm on Social Security Disability, which isn't even enough money to live on, and now I'm going to have to pay more for my pain medications? With the DEA crackdown and the CDC guidelines, doctors are reducing chronic pain patient's medications or taking them off of their medications completely. The number of prescriptions for pain medications has already decreased, and will continue to decrease. It doesn't seem like the best plan--have CDC guidelines and a DEA crackdown, where doctors are afraid to prescribe pain medications. Then decide to try to pass a bill to tax pain medications? Research shows that a low percentage of chronic pain patients become addicted to pain medication. (8-12%). Why should people that are not going to need treatment, and are at or below the poverty level have to pay for treatment for addicts? Due to the DEA crackdown and CDC guidelines, chronic pain patients have been negatively affected and forced to suffer and endure even more pain. Those that are lucky enough to get a prescription, shouldn't have to pay a tax for treatment for addicts. Chronic pain patients have been treated like addicts, when we're not. We're the ones paying the price, literally...and we're suffering in pain. No one is listening to chronic pain patients.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Sacramento, CA writes:
this so called tax is horrible! patients are NOT addicts, but this tax is basically saying they are just addicts that are guaranteed to need treatment in the future. less than 1% of chronic pain patients need addiction treatment, so this would be an unfair tax that penalizes people for simply taking medications. diabetics don't pay a tax for insulin, & neither should chronic pain patients. find funding for addicts from other places, not from those who simply want a normal functioning life!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Homestead, PA writes:
As a chronic pain patient from Fibromyalgia n DDD, i have extreme trouble getting any strong pain medication. Being denied opiates is pure hell on our bodies. NO one understands the pain unless they have it.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Rogue River, OR writes:
Pain patients are committing suicide because pain meds just keep getting more and more expensive. OxyContin 30 mg twice a day is over $400 a month because of the anti abuse properties. We need to treat pain and mental illness both to see things get better. This WILL cause more suicides!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Williamsport, PA writes:
I have suffered with chronic Lyme disease for 27 years as well as Adhesive Arachnoiditis, Crps/Rsd as well co-morbidities of those diseases. At the age of 30 I live in constant intractable pain. I have been through all of the "alternative" treatments such as epidural, pain pumps and stimulators. All of which have failed. We as chronic pain patients deal with so much as it is, the last thing we need to worry about is prices of our meds being raised. I use my opiates responsibly. I signed a pain contract over ten years ago and have never done anything wrong, yet we are being punished. Paying for other peoples addictions is not fair. I have been disabled since I was 17 and only receive the minimal amount of SSD. Taxing the true sufferers is not the answer.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Fredericksburg, VA signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from San Bernardino, CA writes:
I already can not afford the pain meds, others meds, and additional treatments that help my conditions. I payed out of pocket for my pain meds for the first 2 years because the doctor who prescribed them was a special intractable pain doctor and did not take medicaid nor would my insurance honor his prescriptions. Additionally, I shopped around weeks and finally found out that I could afford my meds at 1/3 the cost through a pharmacy at a Club Warehouse. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to buy my own out of pocket medications there. Why? Because I had to sign a contract saying I would get all my medications at one pharmacy (because of the life long opioids I am on). So, I had to keep buying them at the compounding pharmacy because I MUST take compounded hormones.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Ewa Beach, HI signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from Buffalo, NY writes:
We suffer enough being in the daily pain and issues that normal people have to deal with. Don't add insult to injury by forcing us to pay a tax we already can't afford. I never thought I'd be disabled by the age of 38. Most of us are in this boat. Don't make life tougher on us then it already is.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Franklin, OH writes:
Stop discrimination against people who are sufferingREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Snow Camp, NC writes:
Please do not do this. You would be punishing other seniors like myself who serious pain, we are already paying too much for our prescriptions.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Spring City, PA signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from River Falls, WI signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from Paradise, CA writes:
this is discrimination targeting those who use a certain medication that most cant afford to pay for because they are already ill and injured and forcing them to pay for addicts medication grouping all opiate patients with the addicts ...this is absurd and not necessary! if you want help with addiction clinics why not use the 1.1 billion that Obama put towards opiate addiction or tax the pharmecuetical companies who bring in billions annually on the product these people are hooked upon? don't tax the ill and weak tax those who are making the medications causing it if you must tax somebodyREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Pittsburgh, PA writes:
This is discrimination, plain and simple. It is clear that those proposing this bill have never been impacted by true, chronic pain. Opioids at the ONLY way that I get a few hours of relief from debilitating pain. So, I should pay more for that because others (a small %) choose to abuse their prescriptions? Absolutely ridiculous.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Green Bay, WI writes:
I have SAFELY and EFFECTIVELY used opiod based pain medication to control severe pain for many years. I am disabled and get less than $900 a month to live on. I think it's a total disgrace to take public money from the elderly and disabled to pay a tax that funds addiction treatment. If this is done for pain meds, then it should be done for alcohol and all other addictive substances, even sugary foods and salty snacks!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Augusta, KS signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from Watonga, OK signed.
Jun 5th, 2016Someone from Hummelstown, PA writes:
I have been a chronic pain patient for 16 years and have taken opioids responsibility for that long. I cannot work due to pain and my medical bills are high enough as it is. Why should I have to pay for addiction treatment when I am not an addict? This is wrong on so many levels. Leave us chronic pain patients and our meds alone. Our life is a living hell as it is.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Bearden, AR writes:
I am disabled and can barely afford my medication now. Up the tax on tobacco and alcohol if you want money.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 5th, 2016Someone from Wakefield, RI writes:
Chronic pain patients have enough unexpected medical bills as is.REPORT COMMENTS
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