Why THE HECK did this take so long?
This is good. I’ve actually had pharmacists say to me, “You didn’t hear this from me ‘cause I would get in trouble, but this would cost less than the deductible if you paid for this yourself instead of using your insurance.”
Gawd, I love this president. He actually moves the needle, unlike all the rest of government.
Next the law needs to attack similar “gag orders” the giant hospital conglomerates have on insurers, demanding that competing hospitals (usually smaller ones) do not get the same pricing deals the insurers have with them, or they won’t accept their insurance plan.
Across the whole health care industry, between insurers, health care providers, the entire drug distribution and sale industry, and the medical diagnostic industry, their are deals amounting to “collusion against the consumer” carving deals and restrictions one to another, with have altogether the opposite impact of lowering the cost of healthcare.
For nearly sixty years ALL legal and political efforts have run after “health insurance”, in spite of the main driver of health insurance costs has been ever rising healthcare costs; with next to nothing going directly against it, just getting government and taxpayers covering more of it.
It’s been a giant racket of law making, lobbying and political contributions that has padded the wallets of the health care industry while making insurance the bogey man. It has been political diversion on a massive scale.
I take a very simple inhaled steroid for asthma that costs about $0.02 per dose but that comes in a magical “disk” that dispenses it for me into daily doses and that costs $270.
My insurance company would only pay $225, so after much bitching and whining I managed to get the insurance price as I have a high deductible plan w/ HSA.
(Btw when I asked my doctor to prescribe the steroids in a full powder and just tell me how long a line to snort each day, she cracked up and said, “No, that’s ANABOLIC steroids.”)
I will next demand a cash discount. Go Trump!
The one place where I think government intervention in business may be appropriate is to make sure consumers are fully informed so we can make the best choices.
goodrx.com
You can get the best cash price, show it to the drug store and most will honor it. Really helps you shop.
Saved me money. A lot of times cheaper than insurance copay.
I get my prescriptions filled by the VA. Co-pays are $5/month.
I had left my Lisinopril at home when I was on a 2-week trip. Managed to get a prescription from an urgent care. Took it to the VA and they couldn’t fill it right away. Took it to Costco, had it filled in 10 minutes and it was cheaper than the VA price.
Next step is to allow the re-importation of drugs manufactured in the U.S. After that, allow the importation of drugs manufactured by trusted companies in other trusted countries.
One example. I have metastatic prostate cancer and get a Lupron injection every three months. U.S. price is over $5,500. In Canada, I could go to a pharmacy and get the injection for under $1,200 and no charge for a pharmacist/nurse to inject it.