Grassley calls for federal probe after Fla. doc writes nearly 97K prescriptions in 18 months

Feds investigating high prescribing Fla. docs

MIAMI — The federal government has stopped reimbursing a Miami doctor who wrote nearly 97,000 prescriptions for mental health drugs to Medicaid patients over 18 months.

The case of the Florida physician and other cases of high-prescribing doctors prompted U.S. Sen. Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa to call on the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate nationwide.

Grassley’s office said Dr. Fernando Mendez Villamil wrote an average of 153 prescriptions a day for 18 months ending in March 2009. That’s nearly twice the number of the second highest prescriber in Florida.

HHS says they were already aware of the issue and are working closely with state and federal officials to look into it.

Villamil could not be reached for comment.