This didn't happen by chance. Good read from a Dem cite (1 Viewer)

[thinkingoutloud]

This is big news--but it didn't just happen by chance. - Democratic Underground Forums

www.democraticunderground.com

 

[soap box]

This is big news--but it didn't just happen by chance. - Democratic Underground Forums

www.democraticunderground.com

We should explain that this isn't about retribution or laptops, impeachment or any other eye catching headline, it's too boring for any of that.


It's a story about Dems making a difference for people of all persuasions. Good public policy never makes it to the front page.

 

[Craig234]

Summary of the topic: Progressives led by Bernie fighting extreme price gouging of some medical devices succeeded in getting the prices greatly lowered.

 

[medi]

I am no expert on such matters like market economies and all that related stuff, but I do have the unfortunate experience of having to go one full round of initial chemotherapy for lymphoma and then about a half round of what is referred to here in Japan as maintenance chemotherapy and that half round was because the Covid thingy hit and my wife and I sort of thought going to the hospital once a month for that chemo was maybe not so safe given that the chemo stuff was not a necessity, that being a kind of preventive thing.

But then the lymphoma came back and in a very serious way and due to the hospital I was using being so busy with Covid it took some calling in favors and pushing to even get me into there about three weeks after the return of the cancer and I was really close to bye-bye time and that business required actually staying in the hospital for a full six months, with an eventual deal to be allowed out on "leave" (of a sort) 48 hours a month the last four months. And that chemo was some really pushing the edge stuff, but it worked. Dr. Abe cut corners and did things a bit his own way.

But then we found the cancer had swelled up some sort of membrane around my brain and they put me on a new and very dangerous medicine that the controls of are so super strict the medicine is not even allowed to be dispensed by normal pharmacies.

Now all that information is only to point out the following - - - some serious money was used to cover all that. And because of that I started paying closer attention to all this expense that I was dishing out and started doing some comparisons and it seems Japan's medical prices are in line with what seems to be outlined in this thread for the U.S. --- very high. And the medical business here is so strictly controlled that I doubt any medicines from places like India can be got past customs controls. I don't think we in Japan have any way to get any sort of prices down without serious political clout being used to just change laws.

So you have the same problem in the U.S. and that can be verified through good evidence of price comparisons, yes?

How about an international effort to organize a reform of the medical price situation in nations all over the planet?

It would take some serious dedication. Some serious hard work. It seems to me a vibrant Net community like we have here could very well be an excellent place to start.

By the way, I did some work at looking for Net communities that focused on medical issues and was surprised that those that have good participation seem to be tightly controlled by medical organizations. I ended up joining one based in the UK and that didn't end up so great and I still have to finish a final report to them about what went wrong in a case I got involved in. That community is run by a pretty big organization in the UK. They didn't like me too much, but that is no surprise as I am not much liked by most folks. I'm no good at the nuance game.

By the way, I just remembered that I very recently saw some media report, probably NHK, that seemed to have evidence that some 80% of nurses in Japan would like to quit their jobs. I am rather sure that 80% number is correct.

But this thread is about money, right? - - - Well, maybe nurses here aren't getting paid enough.

ANYWAY, if we were to get something started that could actually get medicine and medical care prices lower for all sorts of folks all over the planet it would be some mighty fine work!

I saw some Canadian flags under some avatars around here. What's the deal in that country? Super expensive? Not so bad? How about Australia? The UK? Any country?

 

[medi]

I hope it is legal here to do this, but one item I saw on that page the OP's link takes us to is this:

12. Also check if you can get 340B drugs. I save 70-90% using this federal program
Thu Mar 7, 2024, 02:59 PM

340B Drug Pricing Program - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It basically allows primary care physicians to have designated pharmacies charge the drug prices that Medicaid negotiates with hospitals and suppliers.

That is about money going beyond just the cost of the inhalers. Sort of like what I am asking about here; going beyond just the one expense of the inhalers for folks.

I'd seriously like to see a big leap forward in trying to get prices down for ALL stuff.

 

[Craig234]

I'd seriously like to see a big leap forward in trying to get prices down for ALL stuff.

As usual, the Republicans are preventing that. In 2006, Republicans prohibited Medicare from negotiating drug prices, requiring paying full price. Biden finally got that reversed - but only for 10 medications so far. He's trying to increase that to 50, and Republicans have blocked it.

 

[medi]

Craig234, have you ever done any studying of sites that have reliable information about political donations from commercial medical entities to specific political entities? Maybe we have a thread in this community on that topic?

 

[Craig234]

Craig234, have you ever done any studying of sites that have reliable information about political donations from commercial medical entities to specific political entities? Maybe we have a thread in this community on that topic?

Medi, no, Ihaven't, I've just looked up related info as needed. Sounds like it could be an informative thread.

 

[medi]

Medi, no, I haven't, I've just looked up related info as needed. Sounds like it could be an informative thread.

Thank you.

But it sure would require a lot of homework.

 

[Integrityrespec]

We should explain that this isn't about retribution or laptops, impeachment or any other eye catching headline, it's too boring for any of that.


It's a story about Dems making a difference for people of all persuasions. Good public policy never makes it to the front page.

That's nice. As far as insulin it only applies to those seniors on medicare and using certain types of insulin. I'd love to see it cover young kids who's families have to pay hundreds and even thosands for all the insulin and equipment that goes with it in some cases.
The US needs to restructure so insurance or the federal government can negotiate prices. Maybe the feds need to fix it so that can happen. Try taking away some of the Research and development money they get from the government. Yeah it might drive prices up if big pharma wants to pay for all that themselves and really piss of America.

 

[Michael Cole]

This is big news--but it didn't just happen by chance. - Democratic Underground Forums

www.democraticunderground.com

It may be a good read, but I don't touch extremely biased websites. DU is a blog, not a reputable news organization.

 

[medi]

My first attempts at doing some of the homework had me on a page that gave some numbers and I must admit that according to their research you folks living in the United States are - - - well, what would be the polite way to state you seem to be getting screwed . . .

Health expenditures per capita, U.S. dollars, 2022 (current prices and PPP adjusted)

United States $12,555 / Switzerland $8,049 / Germany $8,011
Austria $7,275 / Netherlands $6,729 / France $6,630
Belgium $6,600 / Sweden $6,438 / Australia $6,372
Canada $6,319 / United Kingdom $5,493 / Japan $5,251

So the page that had those numbers just above is:

How does health spending in the U.S. compare to other countries? - Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker

This chart collection examines how U.S. health spending compares to health spending in other similarly large, wealthy OECD countries using the OECD Health Statistics database.

www.healthsystemtracker.org

And it seems this is the organization that did that research and has paid the money to have that page up and running on the Net:

Home

Improving healthcare affordability in the United States As patients, families, employees, and taxpayers, we are paying too much for our healthcare compared to other nations and our health outcomes are no better. The Peterson Center on Healthcare identifies and promotes promising solutions to...

petersonhealthcare.org

But this is just a first run at my end to do the necessary homework and if any of y'all find I am making a mistake, please don't hesitate to lambast me. But then please assist by letting me/us know where I went wrong.

I must admit, though, those numbers for the United States do surprise me. I am thinking what double my medical expenses over the past 6 years here in Japan would come to and - - - well, surprised I already stated.

But I also realize I better go find some source that confirms the numbers those folks on that site put up and that I placed here. A lot of homework to do.

 

[Integrityrespec]

My first attempts at doing some of the homework had me on a page that gave some numbers and I must admit that according to their research you folks living in the United States are - - - well, what would be the polite way to state you seem to be getting screwed . . .



So the page that had those numbers just above is:

How does health spending in the U.S. compare to other countries? - Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker

This chart collection examines how U.S. health spending compares to health spending in other similarly large, wealthy OECD countries using the OECD Health Statistics database.

www.healthsystemtracker.org

And it seems this is the organization that did that research and has paid the money to have that page up and running on the Net:

Home

Improving healthcare affordability in the United States As patients, families, employees, and taxpayers, we are paying too much for our healthcare compared to other nations and our health outcomes are no better. The Peterson Center on Healthcare identifies and promotes promising solutions to...

petersonhealthcare.org

But this is just a first run at my end to do the necessary homework and if any of y'all find I am making a mistake, please don't hesitate to lambast me. But then please assist by letting me/us know where I went wrong.

I must admit, though, those numbers for the United States do surprise me. I am thinking what double my medical expenses over the past 6 years here in Japan would come to and - - - well, surprised I already stated.

But I also realize I better go find some source that confirms the numbers those folks on that site put up and that I placed here. A lot of homework to do.

Politicians are tied to the deep pockets of big money including the pharmaceutical companies. A small bill that allows seniors on medicare part D can purchase insulin at a cap of $35 a month if they use certain insulin types. That is a good thing no doubt. However it's a half measure because Biden and other before him and many in Congress don't want to fight that fight with Pharma. What about young boys and girls and their families who could be spending hundreds into the thousands to keep children in insulin and the equipment needed to go with it.

 

[soap box]

Politicians are tied to the deep pockets of big money including the pharmaceutical companies. A small bill that allows seniors on medicare part D can purchase insulin at a cap of $35 a month if they use certain insulin types. That is a good thing no doubt.

However it's a half measure

I would call it the act of negotiation.
Otherwise, mostly agree.

because Biden and other before him and many in Congress don't want to fight that fight with Pharma. What about young boys and girls and their families who could be spending hundreds into the thousands to keep children in insulin and the equipment needed to go with it.

I mostly agree.

You posted in #10

The US needs to restructure so insurance or the federal government can negotiate prices. Maybe the feds need to fix it so that can happen.

The comparison in the article was about inhalers and insulin is another example.

My point I haven't made yet is that reducing prescription drug prices is not intended for a political party. The seniors who benefit are a cross section of the population and inhalers might be used by younger people too. It's public health policy where it is impossible to link recipients or benefits to a party.

Negotiating is appropriate and I agree with that part you posted in #10.