A new study finds the cost of insulin for treating Type 1 Diabetes nearly doubled in five years. NBC Nightly News followed a group of patients taking desperate measures as they travel to Mexico to buy the life-saving drug for a fraction of the cost in the U.S.
My father in law is a life long type 1 diabetic and we have watched as his insulin increased steadily in price. He is lucky that it is covered, but what about those that it is not?
Dear Friend Perrie: If on Medicare A and B, covered only to a point.
The donut hole kicks in when the cost of what is charged, not merely the co-pays exceeds a certain amount.
With tier three drugs, insulin being one of them falling into the donut hole is easiest than it seems or should be.
Insulin, by the bye isn't a drug.
It is a recombinant DNA hormone that occurs naturally in the body.
It has been around since before generics.
It should have gone generic (tier one) before generics came out.
You and Buzz are correct.
Big Pharma can get away with this because the US Government, whose Medicare, Medicaid and Veterans Health Systems are the biggest clients in the world of drugs and durable medical appliances are not by law permitted to set or negotiate prices. This is arbitrary, capricious and contrary to law. See CFR 15.
The cure is, of course, universal coverage cradle to grave of all lawful U.S. citizens, single payer, with quality control inspections built in open up the market to whoever can most cost effectively produce high quality health care items.
For those wanting to declare national emergencies, how about having the single most expensive, least inclusive, least effective health care system in the free world?
Nice post brother Enoch with one correction. The US government does pay lower prices for drugs than the public. The CBO estimates the VA and DOD pay roughly half what everyone else pays. That said, it is time to stop big pharma price gouging.
Its gotta stop. It the Fed can get a better deal so can all the citizens they supposedly represent.
Not long ago it was the epi-pen that the pharmaceutical manufacturer overpriced, now it's insulin. If they could get away with it they would charge a dollar for an aspirin.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
My father in law is a life long type 1 diabetic and we have watched as his insulin increased steadily in price. He is lucky that it is covered, but what about those that it is not?
Dear Friend Perrie: If on Medicare A and B, covered only to a point.
The donut hole kicks in when the cost of what is charged, not merely the co-pays exceeds a certain amount.
With tier three drugs, insulin being one of them falling into the donut hole is easiest than it seems or should be.
Insulin, by the bye isn't a drug.
It is a recombinant DNA hormone that occurs naturally in the body.
It has been around since before generics.
It should have gone generic (tier one) before generics came out.
You and Buzz are correct.
Big Pharma can get away with this because the US Government, whose Medicare, Medicaid and Veterans Health Systems are the biggest clients in the world of drugs and durable medical appliances are not by law permitted to set or negotiate prices. This is arbitrary, capricious and contrary to law. See CFR 15.
The cure is, of course, universal coverage cradle to grave of all lawful U.S. citizens, single payer, with quality control inspections built in open up the market to whoever can most cost effectively produce high quality health care items.
For those wanting to declare national emergencies, how about having the single most expensive, least inclusive, least effective health care system in the free world?
This is a time for statesmanship, not politics.
Human life and health is at stake.
Enoch.
Nice post brother Enoch with one correction. The US government does pay lower prices for drugs than the public. The CBO estimates the VA and DOD pay roughly half what everyone else pays. That said, it is time to stop big pharma price gouging.
Its gotta stop. It the Fed can get a better deal so can all the citizens they supposedly represent.
Not long ago it was the epi-pen that the pharmaceutical manufacturer overpriced, now it's insulin. If they could get away with it they would charge a dollar for an aspirin.
While my type II hasn't yet progressed to the insulin stage if/when it does all I can say is thank god for public health care.