The Insanity Of Medical Costs

[aczlan]

Actually this is a scare tactic promoted by the drug companies. Do you see people dying like flies from fake drugs in Canada? If not, why would not those same drugs be safe for us?

Especially since they make the drugs there, Eli Lilly has a big factory in Mexico and makes various drugs down there.

Aaron Z

 

[Fuddy1952]

The reason I think it's so expensive is those of that have insurance has to make up for those that get treated and don't have insurance.
The gang bangers shoot up each other, go to the level 1 trauma center, get patched back up stays in the hospital a few days, gets out and the process starts all over again.

Now imagine having several of these non payers every night. Someone has to foot the bill as no one can be turned down for their ability to pay.
, us with insurance,or the ability to pay get stuck with high cost to cover those types.

Same with these pregnant women that have no insurance. They go to the ER when the're ready to have the baby. No money to pay,, no problem come on in we'll take care of it all and any check up you need. We'll make those that have insurance foot the bill by increasing cost to them.

When my children were younger and got hurt and needed to go to the ER. We would be in there with all these people bring their kids in with colds to be seen because they didn't have insurance and knew they wouldn't be turned away.
If they go to a private DR. office and don't have the money. That's tough, we not seeing you. So, the no insurance people always go to the ER for treatment, or any other issues that require payment and you don't want to pay.

Where is the like and thank you buttons!!!!!

 

[Fuddy1952]

I didn't read all the great 80+ posts and it's been mentioned here I'm sure but without insurance those able to pay are paying for the indigent. It's not fair.
Pre-Obama care we had good insurance $100/month...then $1500/month afterwards (I was self employed).
I remembered about 25 years ago a good friend's Dad was self employed, had no insurance. I advised him to get it...even $10K deductible, basically catastrophic insurance.
He didn't take my advice.
A month later he had a massive heart attack. All the bills totaled $500,000. He paid it, selling his farm off developed into a sub division.
A left-coast friend found out he had hep C by bloodwork...never knew he had it, he thinks he got it from a dirty needle (stupid 1969 teenager trying LSD once at a party).
He got cured! A bottle of 30 pills was $32,000.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I had a slew of expensive tests done this summer which were completely covered by my medicare and "F" plan or so I thought. After a while, I got some small bills for like 30 dollars. I stopped by the hospitals business office to question them. Turned out that they were for a pill or medication associated with the tests and that since the hospital is not a pharmacy, that they bill for those. Then I was told that if I paid them it would be much less rather than turn them into my prescription plan. I think the last one was less than two dollars. No brainer there, I paid it.

It does pay to question bills rather than to just put a check in the mail.

I know a few people with those Advantage plans and they are always getting hit with co-pays? I also overhear people getting hit with co-pays when I get my rooster comb knee shots where as I pay nothing for any of my five visits every six months. Not being privy to the whole conversation, I am not sure what plans those people have though?

 

[Jstpssng]

Quite possibly the most scary thing of all is that I'm learning more here than I've ever been able to pick up anyplace else. I"ve been trying to find out about long term care plans... so far all that I can find is salesmen who want to get me to write a check without being able to find out what I'm actually paying for.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Quite possibly the most scary thing of all is that I'm learning more here than I've ever been able to pick up anyplace else. I"ve been trying to find out about long term care plans... so far all that I can find is salesmen who want to get me to write a check without being able to find out what I'm actually paying for.

Great point! Salesman have THEIR interests at heart, not YOURS.
Many years ago I got pixxed at our homeowners insurance. I called the home office until I got to the CEO. I told him "You never know how good insurance is until you need it, then it's too late". He made sure the claim was paid then used that slogan in their ad.

 

[3Ts]

I have Long term care insurance but have not had to use it yet. One of the things a financial adviser told me was to be sure you get the automatic inflation adjustment with it. There are a couple of options available on those contracts so be sure you read and understand each one. Mine will cover home care as well as nursing home care and I forget what the time period is when it starts, but is shorter than standard.

 

[ruffdog]

Actually this is a scare tactic promoted by the drug companies. Do you see people dying like flies from fake drugs in Canada? If not, why would not those same drugs be safe for us?

WHO estimates in some countries 20-50% of the drugs are counterfeit. I remember a few years ago there was a TV show (60 minutes) showing counterfeit drug operations in 3rd world countries. It doesn't take much to make fakes.

Drug cartels behind massive amounts of counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl | WPEC

Background Information on Counterfeit Drugs - Bayer

The Real Impact of Counterfeit Medications

 

[Travelover]

WHO estimates in some countries 20-50% of the drugs are counterfeit. I remember a few years ago there was a TV show showing counterfeit drug operations in 3rd world countries. It doesn't take much to make fakes.

Background Information on Counterfeit Drugs - Bayer

The Real Impact of Counterfeit Medications

I never said counterfeit drugs don't exist, I said that the drug companies (like the Bayer website you linked) don't want us to pay the low prices Canadians and Western Europeans pay. One way to force that equalization of drug prices would be to import directly from those countries. That would blow up the multi billion dollar money making scheme the drug makers have going right now. So, we have the scare tactics.

I pointed out to my veterinarian that the drug she prescribed for my dog was $100 cheaper at Fred Meyer pharmacy. Careful she said, those drugs may be counterfeit. Yea, right.

 

[Jstpssng]

I never said counterfeit drugs don't exist, I said that the drug companies (like the Bayer website you linked) don't want us to pay the low prices Canadians and Western Europeans pay. One way to force that equalization of drug prices would be to import directly from those countries. That would blow up the multi billion dollar money making scheme the drug makers have going right now. So, we have the scare tactics.

I pointed out to my veterinarian that the drug she prescribed for my dog was $100 cheaper at Fred Meyer pharmacy. Careful she said, those drugs may be counterfeit. Yea, right.

Go into Walmart and price a bottle of "canine aspirin", then price a bottle of low-dose or baby aspirin. They all have 81 mg, the only difference I could see is the bottle. Yet the one in the pet section was 2-3 times more.