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Viagra order may not stand This is what many states are saying to the Clinton Administration's order mandating that Medicaid pay for Viagra treatments when medically necessary. The early estimates are that the coverage for those who can't afford medical assistance for their droopy members would surpass $100 million a year, spread between state and federal agencies. Many states find that price a little stiff. And stiff seems a bigger problem, as well. Over thirty deaths have been reported since the FDA approved the drug in March, possibly linked to Viagra. Some have died during or right after sex. Apparently, many men ignore warnings that Viagra may not mix with heart medications, especially nitrates, and bop till they drop. The FDA recommends that you consult your physician before doing anything drastic. So far, New York and Wisconsin have decided to ignore the order from the top. Other states are undecided, and may follow New York and Wisconsin's lead. The distribution of Viagra depends on when it is "medically necessary," a term which had not yet been defined. This likely means that the drug will not be available on demand, say, for the sock hop at the nursing home, but only if a man is diagnosed as impotent. Viagra abuse and the possibility of illegal street sales have upped the ante in expanding the use and coverage of the pill. The average price for Viagra is $10 a pill, and the average dose is somewhere between six and twelve pills a month. Though Bob Dole can still afford his stash comfortably, without Medicaid funding, those extremely less fortunate could be crowding the street corners looking for their nookie fix. This is apparently what scares Washington most. Health care coverage for the pill also caused a stir in May when the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists accused insurers of gender bias in cases where they covered Viagra but not female contraception. According the ACOG, pregnancy and impotence are both medical conditions, and should be given at least equal weight. It seems to make sense that once the chambers are loaded, it's time to put a few more vests on the streets to keep it all safe. The issue could be further clouded by the approval of Viagra for use by women. According to a first-person study in this month's Maxim magazine, though the drug has shown no signs of curing frigidity, it has shown a potential for increased arousal and quicker orgasms for women. If this should be deemed "medically necessary" as well, most of the nation could be standing in the honey pot at the end of Viagra's rainbow. -Nick |
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