Business News
Mississippi State Medical Association Selects Standard Register as its Exclusive Provider of Secure Prescription Pads
Thursday 24. January 2008 - The Mississippi State Medical Association (MSMA) has reached an agreement with Standard Register (NYSE: SR) to make available to its members tamper-resistant prescription pads that will meet both federal and state security prescription requirements.
Under the terms of the agreement, MSMA members will receive a discount on their prescription pads and paper from the Dayton-based company, which is the nation’s leading provider of secure prescription solutions.
With annual prescription fraud losses estimated at $5 billion, the U.S. Congress last year enacted legislation requiring that all outpatient Medicaid prescriptions be written on tamper-resistant pads. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking a two-phase approach to implementation–one security feature is required on prescription pads by April 1, 2008, and three security features are required by October 1, 2008.
“Standard Register was the logical choice for secure prescription pads. Its ScripPlus(R) prescription program exceeds requirements for both phases of the CMS guidelines,” said MSMA President Dr. Dwalia South. “Moreover, the pads already have proven their effectiveness in fighting fraud in a number of states.”
The most widely published success has been in the state of New York where Standard Register is exclusive provider of secure prescription pads. In a presentation at the National Association for Medicaid Program Integrity Conference in August 2007, the state reported it had eliminated over $60 million in fraud losses within six months of deploying its secure prescription program.
Standard Register’s proprietary ScripPlus prescription pads integrate multiple security technologies. They combine heat-sensitive inks, micro-printing and unique background patterns, artificial watermarks, chemical-sensitive coatings, warning bands and consecutive numbers to create a scrip pad that is highly effective in deterring criminals from modifying, copying and counterfeiting prescriptions.
MSMA members can secure an order form for ScripPlus prescription pads at www.msmaonline.com or at Standard Register’s prescription Web site (www.securescrip.com) which also offers a robust resource center with useful information about federal regulatory requirements, the nature of prescription fraud and steps the medical community can take to deter fraud.