This is a classic reason why having third parties pay for routine medical expenses like drugs is a really, really, really bad idea.
I can accept that there are a lot of unnecessary meds being prescribed. After all, the doc says that the med may help...and, if your insurance covers it, what do you care how much it costs...and if the cost is justified by the benefit?
If you actually had to pay for the med, rather than just a co-pay, you would actually do the cost-benefit analysis.
When an insurer decides, arbitrarily, that a medication is no longer to be listed on their formulary, they remove the possibility of that choice for you...even if, in your particular circumstance, the med in question may be effective and warrant the price.
When the government makes that kind of decision, there is no appeal...and, in fact, it may be impossible for you to even pay for the med out of your own pocket, particularly if the pharma companies decide that it’s not worthwhile to produce the med or if the pharmacy decides that it’s not worthwhile to purchase a wholesale quantity of that med.
I guess the idea of just having grandma taking a pill no longer applies...unless grandma’s pill is government-approved.
You can still pay for the drug yourself even if the insurer will not pay. Therefore, you do have a choice.
This is why everyone should ditch the prescriptions and start investing in essential oils and other natural remedies. If you scoff at the notion of this, let me tell you my story - I had about 10 days ago, an infection get totally out of hand, due to me messing with it. It would not break open to drain & was swollen, hard, hot (I had a fever) & red streaked. I knew I couldn’t afford a trip to the ER (with a $5k deductible, no way)...so I applied essential oils & took some internally. 1st day - no more fever & it broke & has been getting better ever since. No trip to Dr and its healing nicely. If I had started the oils on day 1, it probably would not have gotten bad - but anyway - my point is that we can avoid meds - doctors prescribe them like they are candy - and they can kill us.