Man Plasters House With Prescriptions

Associated Press via Yahoo ^ | July 16, 2003 | AP Staff Writer

[schaketo]

MAYS LANDING, N.J. - Marc Snyder can't get his mind off the high cost of his prescription drugs. Thanks to a growing display outside his home, his neighbors are thinking about it, too.

Photocopies of prescriptions cover upstairs windows, surround the door and fill blue plastic tarps draped over the yellow house. Snyder said they are prescriptions he could not afford to fill.

A large sign declares the week-old display "The Great Wall of Prescriptions" and asks Congress for help.

"It's not an eyesore," said Adrienne Reyes, who lives across the street. "It's a good way to advertise."

Most of the 157 prescriptions from the past couple years would cost around $100 or more each, Snyder said. That means filling all of them would cost at least $15,000.

Snyder said that, ideally, he should be taking about five types of medication for severe sciatic pain in his leg. He cannot afford them all.

"I wanted to make some impact, to send a message to people who are in power," said Snyder. "And this seems very timely."

Both houses of Congress approved legislation last month to give the elderly a government-backed prescription drug benefit.

"If it helps the seniors, fantastic!" Snyder said. But the 51-year-old wants to know what will happen to everyone else.

[Rodney King]

So, he wants something for nothing. I see.

[Blueflag]

He could afford all the doctor visits to get those scrips. How many was he able to fill, versus those he couldn't? How many DIFFERENT docs prescribed 157+ prescriptions for sciatic pain, non-steroidal anti-imflammatories, etc.

This guy is an ADE waiting to happen anyway.

[Blueflag]

When his couch wears out, will he ask 'us' to pay for that as well?

[tomswiftjr]

Never have the presumption to get a disease you cannot afford.

[BlessedByLiberty]

Bingo! I think the story within the story is that this man had 157 pain med prescriptions. Isn't this how many people are hooked on these drugs? When one doctor says he can no longer give someone a prescription for a specific med, that someone runs off to the next doctor to get one. I think this man may have more than sciatic problems here.

[Rodney King]

What does that mean? Whose labor and capital do you think that you are entitled to? Mine?

[Mr. K]

Why don't they say the facts correctly- he does not want Congress to pay for his prescriptions, he wants me and you to pay for them.

Is there anyone who can investigate this moron's connection to democrap party activists?

[discostu]

I'm having a hard time understanding how someone can own a house that size and not be able to afford perscriptions. Sounds to me like he's been living on the raged edge of his means and a sciatic problems is his clue to simplify life. Sell the house, sell the useless crap in it, get your scrips.

I remember the first time this "issue" came up Rather was interviewing some a senior citizen couple, they were in the living room which was huge had a magnificent view of their swimming pool and mountains and included a goreous pearl white baby grand piano. And yet they couldn't afford their perscriptions.

[wideawake]

Exactly.

He's already getting government disability checks at the age of 51, yet, for a condition that my 63 year old father in law has.

Yet my FIL manages a hotel and a restaurant 70 hours a week.

If they find a pill for lazy, I'll buy all Mr. Snyder needs.

[Fishing-guy]

If one is in chronic pain and cannot afford the cost to relief it, what can he do? Beg for money on the street?

[discostu]

Do what I did when I had a bum knee and was walking 4 miles to work everyday:
Toughen up buttercup.

[Rodney King]

If one is in chronic pain and cannot afford the cost to relief it, what can he do? Beg for money on the street?

One, he should have saved money and bought insurance. If not, he should ask for charity. If not, I don't mind a very basic level of governemnt help.

However, there is no right to five of the fanciest prescriptions. He should ask himself this: What situation would he be in if those drugs were never invented because the companies couldn't make money off of them because of policies that people like this guy espouse?

[wideawake]

I wonder what people used to do about chronic pain, like rheumatism, etc.

Oh, that's right. They sucked it up and didn't whine about it.

BTW - how different from begging in the street is this kind of behavior?

But let me guess - this guy lives in two-story home in a nice area of South Jersey. Probably pays a bunch in property taxes. I'm also going to guess that this guy doesn't live in a windowless room without cable TV. He can move to a cheaper place and cut costs without stealing more tax money out of my pocket.

[Fishing-guy]

You are a better man than I am.

I once had an infected tooth that ached all night long. I called every dentist in town the next morning to take care of it. It was no fun. I could sympathize with people who suffers from protracted chronic pain.

[Fishing-guy]

You do have a point there.

[wideawake]

Thank you. I had a very painful strained neck and back with soreness and throbbing that lasted for months.

My doctor said: "I can prescribe codeine for you at first and some more painkillers later . . . "

I said "No thanks" and I walked around like a touchy Quasimodo for a while. Life isn't fair sometimes. Boo hoo.

[Miss Marple]

Hey, isn't there some kind of program in Jersey for people who can't pay for prescriptions? I thought there was.

In addition, these are PHOTOCOPIES. Where are the original prescriptions?

[wideawake]

Oooh-yeah. A bad tooth is a very, very nasty thing.

And the worst is when the dentist screws up the first time in treating it. Agonizing. Wouldn't wish it on a Wahabbi.

[Phantom Lord]

Toughen up buttercup.

Or as I say, Suck It Up Flower Ass