Can you get arrested for doctor shopping, if you are not currently seeing two doctors, but were previously?

Question

I have a friend that was seeing two doctors for the same thing, for a long time, and recently stopped going to one of them, since he heard all the trouble you could get into for seeing two at once, My question is, Do you have to be "currently" seeing both doctors, Or can they arrest you for a period in the past in which you were seeing two doctors at the same time? Or is there some time frame or limit on to when and how long he stopped seeing the second doctor?

Answer 1

As the other poster stated, there is no law against seeking the medical opinion or treatment from more than one doctor or specialist.



The issue regarding, "doctor shopping," relates to deliberately seeking multiple doctors to obtain narcotic prescription drugs, those being drugs such as oxycontin and other narcotic painkillers.



Many states have passed legislation and established prescription databases to regulate the problem. The links provide more information and examples of such statutes and penalties.



The tracking systems are used to determine when, where, and how often patients obtain presciptions from more than one source. Obviously, it would depend on how recent the activity was.



http://mediamatters.org/research/200505030007

http://associationdatabase.com/aws/NADDI/asset_manager/get_file/3140

Answer 2

there is no known law to prevent a person from seeking second or third opinions in the USA

and

many people have more than one doctor, one patient could see a neurologist, a oncologist, a orthopedic specialist, a gynecologist and a urologist without anyone caring about it

Answer 3

its the system, they can do what they want. the odds of him being harrassed are prob,12 percent. plus he can claim he simply threw the other meds away.





no meds no problem.

Answer 4

Stupid-yes. Criminal-no.



I have to ask, how was he paying for both? No insurance will pay for both.