veterans with their ...hands out

[Plastic Man]

continue to ...rip off american taxpayers ...using bullshit patriotism to get away with screwing the system

...yep 18 million jimmie bucks a day going to buy ...scar cream fer our ...heroes


"Free" pain meds for veterans cost taxpayers big bucks

A CBS News investigation has found American troops and veterans are being prescribed dubious drugs that cost taxpayers hundreds of millions dollars. The growing practice of selling the drugs has caused a big, expensive problem for Major General Richard Thomas, who oversees TRICARE, the military health benefit system.

In the last year, TRICARE spending on compounded prescriptions surged from $42 million a month to more than $300 million.

"We're on track this year to spend over $2 billion unless we get our hands around this," said Thomas. "It's just been astronomical, an explosion of the charges in a relatively short period of time."

Virtually all the spending is for products the DOD believes are of dubious clinical benefit, like pain and scar creams. The cost to taxpayers can be $15,000 for a month supply.

Major Thomas told us he hasn't been able to find anything in the creams that justify their expense. The creams are marketed directly to military personnel at "free lunch" events hosted outside the gates of Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio.

"There's no free lunch here," said Thomas. "These individuals, their patriotism is directly tied to their paycheck. They're not helping these soldiers."

Dozens of websites advertise the creams as custom-made cure-alls for service members' pain and wounds with little or no cost. One company -- Healing 4 Heroes -- makes it simple: just fill out an online form and submit your request.

A CBS News producer posing as a potential sales rep met the owner of Healing 4 Heroes, Deanna Dutting, at a restaurant in Florida. During the meeting Dutting shared the pitch she makes to service members and veterans.

"Here's these amazing creams, they're completely free. All you got to do is type in your TRICARE number online and submit it," explained Dutting.

Dutting said a doctor then calls the patient and writes a prescription. A one month supply of scar and pain creams, plus a dietary supplement costs taxpayers around $25,000.

"If you want to feel bad or do your own research, you can do just like the rest of us did, but we got over it real quick once we started making our money, you know what I mean?" said Dutting.

Dutting told us she only collects three percent, most of the money goes to Patient Care America, a compounding pharmacy in Florida that makes the creams and supplements. The pharmacy is making millions, according to Deanna.

Patient Care America CEO Patrick Smith declined our request for an interview but provided CBS News with a video statement in which he told us pain creams offer military personnel an alternative to addicting painkillers.

"Compounded pain creams allow these patients to seek relief from their suffering without experiencing the negative and often addictive side effects of these medications," said Smith in the video.

But General Thomas refuted Smith's assertion, saying he doesn't have any evidence to support that claim. Thomas says it's the military's responsibility to ultimately make sure it's not being taken advantage of.

"Compounding itself is a good tool for us to take care of our patients, we don't want to stop it but what we do want to stop is the waste, fraud and abuse that we're seeing," said Thomas.

This week, TRICARE is implementing a new claims screening process to reduce spending on compounded drugs, which now costs the Pentagon roughly $18 million each day.

"The American people have no problem, at all, taking care of these soldiers, these troops, especially the wounded warriors, but they're not paying their taxes for this," said Thomas.

In its statement to CBS News, Patient Care America said they have no financial relationship with Healing 4 Heroes, nor have they ever endorsed its actions. And following our meeting, Deanna Dutting told us Healing 4 Heroes no longer markets Patient Care America products, but she still has an active website.

There will be more reporting on this story Wednesday on "CBS This Morning" and on the "CBS Evening News."

[Guest031416-1]

Nice article PM but this has nothing to do with the wounded warriors ripping off the citizens. It's about the private companies doing it. Warriors will do what they do to make sure they aren't feelig any pain or helping with any pain. These companies don't give two fucks about te service members, as evidenced by her comment about easy money.

So, since you posted it I suggest you re-read it and see that the veterans are the ones being taken, not doing the taking. They are only doing what they need to in order to have a better life because of their injuries.

[Plastic Man]

oh burger ...plastic man will make sure ya gets yer ...scar cream

...now get yer hand back ...out ...and keep fightin to gouge the good ol ...taxpayers

[Guest031416-1]

don't worry PM, you don't have to do anything to help me out, except keep your mouth shut when it comes to veterans and shit.
I assure you I don't take any hand outs, I use some benefits when I have to, but, that is few and far between, so before you go assuming something, how about you ask me first

have a nice day, oh welcome back, hope you mini vacation was enlightening

[Anubis]

Plastic man....did you ever serve?? If not shut your mouth....you have no idea, what any veteran has gone thru if you haven't served.

The meds that they try to prescribe are a cheap way to try and medicate away the damage some of us came home with, some scars are on the inside.

Meet me or any vet and stop by ANY VA hospital, and take a tour, before you start talking about things you know nothing about.

The compact is that if you send us to war and we end up broken on the outside or the inside, that when we get home...it is attempted to try to make us "whole" again, or as close to it as possible.

[Bigdaddy14606]

My son is a soldier in the United states army, I am very proud. You are lucky you are so fortunate as to live in a country that allows you to poke fun of the system that provides that freedom.

[Ceremony]

I never served but, if a veteran wants some fucking scar cream I'll buy him/her some. Weak thread.

[Plastic Man]

Originally Posted by Anubis

Plastic man....did you ever serve?? If not shut your mouth....you have no idea, what any veteran has gone thru if you haven't served.

The meds that they try to prescribe are a cheap way to try and medicate away the damage some of us came home with, some scars are on the inside.

Meet me or any vet and stop by ANY VA hospital, and take a tour, before you start talking about things you know nothing about.

The compact is that if you send us to war and we end up broken on the outside or the inside, that when we get home...it is attempted to try to make us "whole" again, or as close to it as possible.

a tube of ...thousand dollar scar cream ...is on its way to ya ...good bless every serviceman ...even the deserter who got traded fer them wounded on the ...inside ...taliban

[Plastic Man]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy14606

My son is a soldier in the United states army, I am very proud. You are lucky you are so fortunate as to live in a country that allows you to poke fun of the system that provides that freedom.

yep ...cause no other country on ...earth ...allows any free speech at all ...yup only good ol merica has sooooooooo much ...freedom ...and gettin more all the time

...try takin yer own cash outta yer ...bank account ...and if our dear free country thinks ya be takin ...too many of yer own dollars ...ol uncle sammy might ...investigate ...now that be real freedom

...on the bright side ...we still be free to sign up and ...die ...in wars fer oil

[Plastic Man]

Originally Posted by Ceremony

I never served but, if a veteran wants some fucking scar cream I'll buy him/her some. Weak thread.

but the real question is ...will ya rub it in fer em?

[Ceremony]

Originally Posted by Plastic Man

but the real question is ...will ya rub it in fer em?

Lol! not sure if you're a vet but,... do you have scars?

[Plastic Man]

Originally Posted by Ceremony

Lol! not sure if you're a vet but,... do you have scars?

plastic man will ...show em to ya ...but any other jimmies will have to ...pay

[keeponrisin]

you can't make plastic without oil or petroleum products ..makes you a direct cause

[Plastic Man]

Originally Posted by keeponrisin

you can't make plastic without oil or petroleum products ..makes you a direct cause

yep ...it be easier to ...bomb poor people in mud shacks ...then build a pipeline from canada or ...frack it out of the good ol ...u s of merica!

...keep that military ...gravy train rollin fer our ...globalist overlords

[Lexxxy]

Upstate has reached a new low.