Amazing how much lifesaving meds are overpriced in the US

[RobPNW]

Sounds a bit like american superiority complex mixed with some conspiracy theory. So isuline that's made by a Danish company and sold in Danemark is cheaper because Americans subidize that Danish drug manufacturer? Really? Why would any US administration do that or allow that to happen? And you just had the Donald as your president. How does that makes sense?

Has it crossed your mind that you're maybe being effed over by your politicians who get money from the insurance and pharma lobby so they can keep ripping you off? I think no other western country allows pharma companies to do advertisement for prescription drugs... makes you thing, no?

Probably the simplest example is a drug made in the US and distributed worldwide, and you can visit another country and buy that same drug, made by the same US company that shipped it to the other country and pay half the price that you would pay in the US.

 

[BlueTrin]

Probably the simplest example is a drug made in the US and distributed worldwide, and you can visit another country and buy that same drug, made by the same US company that shipped it to the other country and pay half the price that you would pay in the US.

Unless it’s sold at a loss, it’s hard to say it’s subsidised.

 

[DandyDon]

I think you're doing damn good for a 750 year old

Thanks, but I can't tend my yard with bad legs, and I am certainly high-maintenance, 12 pills/day plus an expensive inhaler I get from a Canadian supplier, and then there are the procedures. I managed to two specialists the same afternoon on my usual 150-mile round-trip on the 25th, got an expensive durolane shot in my left knee that Medicare & my supplement covered well, then at another office got dopplers on both legs. They scheduled me for another angiogram on the 30th, forgot to call me over the holiday weekend to tell me what time, and didn't return my calls to the after-hours number, but I went anyway. They got me in okay, and now both legs are much better. I am on the last scheduled day of lite duty, so we'll see how I hold up tomorrow mowing grass, burying compost, making concrete grave markers, and more.

Probably the simplest example is a drug made in the US and distributed worldwide, and you can visit another country and buy that same drug, made by the same US company that shipped it to the other country and pay half the price that you would pay in the US.

Yes, well, got examples? We seem to outsource so much of the production.

 

[Ghost95]

Subsidized may not have been the exact right word. I'm open to a better one.

Now if a company spends it's billions of dollars to bring a drug to market, and it is BILLIONS. And they are blocked by governments from charging a fee that reimbursed those costs AND brings a profit within a "reasonable" time, why would they develope it?

So if it costs billions to bring a drug to market, all the research, treating, manufacture, distribution ect., And there is no profit in countries other than the unregulated US, why wouldn't they charge whatever the insurance companies can get the US to pay? If we in the US tried to force drug companies to drop prices to be equal to the rest of the world, the rest of the world drug prices would go up. Either in direct cost or increased taxes to cover the difference.

Is that subsidizing, in a way? Getting the consumers in one country to cover the R&D so that the drugs are available at a cheaper price in other countries? I know, it can be a touchy subject.

Now, drug companies could develope these drugs, figure the number of people that would need those drugs over the near to mid term future, then divide cost of development, delivery, and profit by every patient and have all patients, wether in the US, Canada, UK, Zimbabwe, or where ever pay exactly the same. That would bring costs down... From a US standpoint anyway. But other countries costs might go up but there would be no argument of subsidizing. Drug "A" costs $3 a dose regardless of where you live.

I always tell everyone who complains about companies not being in it for the greater good... Corporations have no soul. Everything is profit. Oh yeah, governments are corporations.

 

[berndo]

Is that subsidizing, in a way? Getting the consumers in one country to cover the R&D so that the drugs are available at a cheaper price in other countries? I know, it can be a touchy subject.

But that doesn't explain why stuff like insuline is way more expensive in the US many drugs have been around for quite some time. And why wouldn't the US gov just negotiate prices?

I sometimes watch US campaign stuff... you know, for entertainment mostly. Meatball Ron getting sh_t on relentlessly by an unhinged man-child is kinda funny. How come stuff like these crazy drug price situation virtually never comes up in politics? Looks like it's all people get riled up about 'woke' issues and Hunter Biden smoking crack 10 years ago, when at the same time, you have citizens that have to pony up 7000 dollars before your insurance is actually paying for stuff?

 

[Ghost95]

"Why wouldn't the government negotiate prices?"

Because the Affordable Care Act forbids it.

I believe (my conspiracy theory) that the ACA was passed in it's original form to give politicians a carrot to dangle in front of voters at election time.

Hey, look over here, elect me and I'll force drug companies to negotiate drug prices.

Wait wasn't your party in power when the ACA was passed? Why didn't you do it then?

Hey, look over here. Those guys passed the ACA that didn't do anything to lower healthcare costs. Elect us and we'll force drug companies to negotiate prices.

Wait you didn't want it at all remember?


Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Someone explain why we need Pharmacy Benefit Managers. Talk about moneygrubbing leeches that have no right to exist. Our system is broken and will never change as long as lobbyists line the pockets of pols.

Like I said, just follow the money.
Big pharma, big medical, and especially big insurance have a lot of influence.

 

[Ghost95]

Probably the simplest example is a drug made in the US and distributed worldwide, and you can visit another country and buy that same drug, made by the same US company that shipped it to the other country and pay half the price that you would pay in the US.

Or, the US company pays pennies and has the drug made in a foreign country, then imports it to the states and sells it at an astronomical ****** markup. And the government refuses to negotiate the process so they pay whatever the Pharma company says. And then the government uses fees added on to our insurance premiums, treatments, medical devices ect to pay the cost - $35 copay, let's be fair.

Now the insurance companies can't pay to cover all that so they up premiums to cover. And now my rates and out of pocket expense go up so much I'm effectively paying retail for any procedure even AFTER I've paid my premiums.

And since the "medical establishment" see this going on they wanted in on the action and increased their profit margins plus inflation. So now my insurance premiums go up to keep up with the increasing cost of healthcare. So the drug companies and medical establishment see more money available for the taking and up prices...

And the circle repeats ad nauseam.



***Sorry, went on a little rant there***

 

[DandyDon]

Someone explain why we need Pharmacy Benefit Managers. Talk about moneygrubbing leeches that have no right to exist. Our system is broken and will never change as long as lobbyists line the pockets of pols.

Someone has to negotiate the wholesale prices so they would be even higher. They must not have much incentive to lower costs and pass on prices.

 

[tridacna]

Someone has to negotiate the wholesale prices so they would be even higher. They must not have much incentive to lower costs and pass on prices.

They do nothing of the kind. They act as an unnecessary middleman that tack on huge fees which are borne by the consumer. There is absolutely no reason to have them any longer. But they’re a protected class that ensure their survival by paying off lobbyists who grease the palms of our politicians year after year.

Mark Cuban and Amazon Scripts are trying to change this paradigm - so are some politicians. But it’s just too juicy for most health insurers to give up yet. Worst part is that it’s the PBMs that are responsible to the lack of transparency when it comes to drug pricing.