PING
>>>Those checks and others, some of them said to be for six-figure sums, are under investigation by federal prosecutors in Boston as part of a broad government crackdown on the drug industry's marketing tactics. Just about every big global drug company — including Johnson & Johnson, Wyeth and Bristol-Myers Squibb — has disclosed in securities filings that it has received a federal subpoena, and most are juggling subpoenas stemming from several investigations.
Jeez. And my hubby only gets free lunch for the week with his drug reps.
These checks are sent to the drug companies BETTER customers. Doctors love it and prescribe their drugs more often. Since patents of their best selling drugs are expiring and not as many available to replace them even MORE rewards are given to doctors that ROUTINELY prescribe their drugs.
It's a happy arrangement for all. Patients must report periodically to their doctor to see how they are doing on the drug and renew the script. Doctors today need VOLUME to make money since health care insurance regulates their reimbursement. Doctors aren't doing as well financially as they used to. You can easily exceed what a typical doctor makes in the business world without all the liability expense too.
People look at their meagre incomes, and prefer to believe that the other guy is getting SHOWERED with money, somehow. Then, it's a hop, skip and a jump to the conclusion that one's OWN money is showering others; they're the source of your problems, see?
Just keep buying the NYT!
I'm not a doctor, but the government has painted doctors with huge "bulls-eyes" written on their back, and this paper is actively lobbying for "single-payer" health-care.
I have suspected this kind of thing for a long while, with how I am prescribed drugs.
I was in the flooring business a while back, and they call 'em "spiffs." You sell a certain brand or a certain style of carpet or vinyl and you get money (or prizes) back. I have heard this term in reference to other businesses as well.
Looks to me that the only difference here may be the 1099s. Before they give you ANYTHING back in flooring, they have to have your SocSecurity # on file with them so they can send the forms to the IRS. Doesn't look like that's happening here with the doctors.
I used to work for a subdivision of pfizer. Every week there was always a company email full of admonishments about talking to media people, talking points to use with consumers to 'talk-up' a product, whitewash concerning gov't inquiries into the business, contact names to refer questioners to, etc. Employees were encouraged to print-out the weekly sheet and keep it with them. Most of them ended up on the coat hooks on the toilet stall doors - we had SO much regard for a company that thought we were THAT stupid. I'll have to see if any of that propaganda was saved in my email archives.
Well, flip! I missed the Golden Age of Medicare *and* the $10,000 checks from Schering!