February 22, 2013
The landmark legislation known as "OBRA '87" (the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987) significantly limited the inappropriate use of antipsychotic drug use in long-term care facilities. Indeed, among OBRA '87's goals was the elimination of chemical restraints, typically associated with antipsychotic drugs. A quarter of a century after the passage of OBRA '87, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and numerous professional organizations are redoubling their efforts to further reduce the use of antipsychotic drugs in long term care.
