Posted on 12/13/2019 4:46:31 AM PST by Kaslin
Food or life-saving medication? With prescription drug prices skyrocketing for over a decade now, more Americans are having to decide between paying for food or paying for their life-saving medication.
It was the case for Marjorie Prunty, a senior from Missouri, whose dinner comes from dusty cans in the back of her garage. It’s all she can afford to eat in order to pay for her insulin.
And Prunty isn’t alone. She’s part of the nearly 25 percent of Americans who struggle to pay for their prescription drugs. The rising cost of prescription drugs, particularly insulin, has many Americans rationing their medication—which can be deadly. Last Christmas, Meaghan Carter died because she took low doses of her insulin to prolong the supply.
Over 30 million diabetics in America have seen the price of insulin double in 2012, with some paying 54 percent more for it than in 2014. Three companies own 99 percent of the insulin market because there are no generics. It’s one of the reasons why diabetics have seen insulin prices skyrocket: without competition, there is no incentive for insulin manufacturers to lower their cost.
Arizona is one of the toughest states hit. Residents are feeling the heat of rising prescription costs: The Arizona Daily Star reported that “about 11 percent of Tucson-area residents say they have rationed their medications in the past year because of the high cost of prescription drugs,” and nearly 33 percent of Arizonans aren’t taking or refilling their prescriptions. Moreover, 80 percent of Arizonians are concerned about prescription drug prices.
In other words, this is a major problem.
Fortunately, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Sen. Ron Wyden (R-OR) have a solution. They introduced the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA) to curb the rising costs of prescription drugs. The bill penalizes pharmaceuticals that increase their prices faster than the rate of inflation, incentivizing insulin manufacturers to not price gouge, and caps out-of-pocket costs for seniors on Medicare Part D plans. Better yet, the Congressional Budget Office found that the bill would save Medicare more than $85 billion over the next decade and, at the same time, would save its beneficiaries $27 billion in out-of-pocket expenses.
Both Republican and Democratic Congress members facing reelection should consider supporting the PDPRA. In 2018, the Republican Party lost 41 seats due in part to not passing the healthcare reforms that voters wanted. It would be prudent for candidates to not make the same mistake again.
Healthcare was a major issue in the 2018 midterms: 41 percent of participants in a Gallup exit poll said it was the issue that most influenced their vote. According to another poll, it is currently the top concern for voters, beating out the economy and immigration. This is an opportunity for elected officials to demonstrate to voters that they can lead on this issue by offering meaningful solutions.
As the election nears, both parties should anticipate an even higher voter turnout in 2020 than the record-breaking turnout in the 2018 midterms. Candidates, therefore, must gain support from a broad range of voters in order to win. By supporting legislation on an issue that affects nearly every American, they can win over more voters and show them that they can solve one of the most pressing issues of our time.
The person in that image is all set for food.
There are so many disingenuous “truths” here the entire argument is meaningless. I have only been retired for a few years but not that long ago a month’s supply for most diabetics could be purchased for $10 as Regular and NPH Insulin. I had a number of patients who controlled their A1c very well with no additional medication. I had one who, I swear, had an IQ of 80 and was homeless and even HE did it. He always had clean clothes, he was always freshly bathed. He lived out of a locker at the bus station and kept his insulin in there where it would stay temperature controlled.
Who even needs Insulin? Only Type 1 diabetics. So just about every “fat” diabetic shouldn’t even be ON insulin unless things have radically changed since I retired. What kind of Insulin should one use? Now very expensive Insulin’s are available as “pens” for convenience. If you can afford it go ahead! But the reality is there are people who probably shouldn’t even be on Insulin who are being prescribed expensive forms of Insulin and they aren’t the ones paying hundreds of dollars a month for it.
Like I say, there are so many distortions here this is all meaningless.
Well, that’s the first thing I thought.
Why stop with the emotional topic of prescriptions?
Bankruptcy is discriminatory. So are loan defaults for students & homeowners.
We don’t need no stinkin’ personal responsibility when we got multi-billion dollar corporations to blame for everyone’s ills.
/s
This NEEDS to happen. Prescription drug prices have gotten outrageous compared to the neighboring countries of Canada and Mexico. However, people like the person in the picture should diet and exercise also in an effort to help them selves. Type 2 Diabetes can be helped with proper diet.
It’s a double edge sword. Reduce the ROI for pharmaceuticals discovering new drugs, and they will reduce their R&D budget.
Just from a pricing standpoint, there’s definitely wrong. I only take 2 meds. One is free if I get it from a particular pharmacy and the other ranges in price from $242 to $11 for a 90 day supply. Why in the world is there such a huge difference? Thank goodness for GoodRX.
One of the problems with drug costs is the expiration date system. The FDA sets the expiration criteria at a date where the efficacy of the drug has dropped by 1%. (It’s still 99% effective).
At this point they round up the expired drugs and sell them in underdeveloped countries for very cheap. This is why drugs are so cheap overseas. They should set the expiration at 90% or 95% and reduce the price. Some antibiotic that has dropped to 95% efficacy is still going to kill germs.
Also, doctors need to stop over prescribing. Just because a patient has a cold does not mean they need antibiotics. And farmers need to stop giving antibiotics to healthy livestock just so they gain weight faster.
Politicians who decry the high cost of prescription meds do no know what goes into the cost of producing them.
When I was deployed on Active Duty I was shocked to discover that companies like “Colors of Benetton” sold their products at HUGE discounts overseas. The story I heard was these companies routinely “dump” US goods on foreign markets to “hold market share”. I was able to buy a Johnson Outboard Motor at a ridiculous price. Should we be as outraged about shirts and outboard motors as well?
Amen. I get better prices paying cash through GoodRX then most insurance copayments.
So who decided to use THAT photo in an article about people giving up food?
They work.
The resources that go into producing an effective product that meets regulatory requirements, from a manufacturer that meets regulatory requirements are ever increasing and do not end with a released product.
Programs like pharmacovigilance, are ongoing and require resources to implement & maintain.
The empty heads pontificate as experts but regard the product/s as nothing more than a “patent medicine” sold by hucksters.
But those governments subsidize the costs, do they not? Which means that we’re right back to where we’re starting from, raising taxes to generate revenue to subsidize the drugs.
It was explained to me a while back that the companies have figured out a nifty way to disallow generics to be made. After the patent runs out, they can make some type of claim with regards to licensing. Not sure of the specifics, maybe someone else knows. But, the person commenting said through licensing they can, basically, maintain their patent for a few more years.
Prior to obamacare an, Advair discus(whose patent has passed some time ago) was about $180, if you paid outright. And most pharmacies had coupons on hand that would lower the price by about $30-40. Post obamacare, the same discus more than doubled. There’s no generic. However, if you go the Canadian websites, you can buy the discus, without the Canadian government subsidy(since you’re not eligible for it), for the same price or cheaper than what it cost prior to obamacare.
Go get a prescription for Xanax and pay whatever it costs. Now go get a prescription for alprazolam and you’ll pay peanuts. Same thing.
When you have a guy like Gruber, one of authors of obamacare, telling a lecture hall that they relied on the stupidity of the American people to hoodwink them into passing obamacare and having the insurance & pharmaceutical companies helping in the writing of that disaster, we know they made sure they were going to get paid.
Go on youtube and watch.....okalhoma doctors vs obamacare. The doctors have some interesting things to say.
Exactly. I got a prescription that was going to cost me well over $1000. Went on GoodRx, found it locally for right at $400.
Prescription drug price controls.
Chuck that onto my growing pile of bad ideas which are inevitable.
Insulin was discovered quite some time ago, though. Not really and R&D issue.
Nursing Home Euthanizes Woman Who Only Had a Bladder Infection https://www.lifenews.com/2016/11/15/nursing-home-euthanizes-woman-who-only-had-a-bladder-infection/?fbclid=IwAR0DOFCXgVly6QMtlxzfRqGA06W_vaf4Nw6xUs6XZRgerc_7IkFNujcI1B0
Feds indict Miami VA employees and medical suppliers accused of kickback scheme https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article238268848.html?fbclid=IwAR2E4oUaM7VG3LvdymO4m7JeXMtcdIt_0klyUUOgigL8hJdV9nYRv3OMKhMU.S.
US watchdog finds $6.7 billion in questionable Medicare
payments to insurers
https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN1YG0YD?fbclid=IwAR2-iwOqk3zIWnFoYH-PXclqwL74D6OmBeAnpjUnNSFudju_UFpGm-vdDPs
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