NEW YORK, May 23 (UPI) -- The New York state comptroller wants federal officials to ban high-risk sex offenders and convicted rapists from getting Viagra through Medicaid.
"Federal, state and local reimbursement for the cost of erectile dysfunction drugs for sex offenders raises serious policy considerations and has the potential to place the public at risk," New York Comptroller Alan Hevesi wrote Michael Leavitt, secretary of Health and Human Services.
"I am asking that you take immediate action to ensure that sex offenders do not receive erectile dysfunction medication paid for by the taxpayers."
In an audit covering four years, Hevesi found 198 Level 3 sex offenders -- including those convicted of rape -- received Medicaid-reimbursed Viagra after being convicted of a sex offense, CNN reported Monday.
The audit did not determined if any of the Level 3 offenders are receiving prescriptions for other erectile dysfunction drugs.
