Vegas Free-for-All - Speaking of Drugs

Dan Svatass

Jul 26, 2011
4:07pm

Quote

Originally posted by: malibber
And the priceless part is the perverse delight I take in screwing the insurance company as hard as I can.

I don't support this. I'm not willing to make things worse so that people will finally cry out for something to make it better.

This reminds me of the attitude I'm seeing in DC right now. "Let's make things worse so that the public will get fed up and give our side more political power." Also reminds me of people who voted for Ralph Nader in 2000, knowing that he couldn't win and that putting Bush in office would, in the end, work to their advantage.

Can't go there.

BobOrme

Jul 26, 2011
8:54pm

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Quote

Originally posted by: Chilcoot

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Originally posted by: BobOrme
I don't have insurance . . . .

I'm sorry to hear that, I really am. What do you expect us to do if you are hit but that damn bus tomorrow?

Are you very wealthy? Are you counting on the charity of others? Do you believe you are invincible and therefore can't need expensive medical care?

I mean this seriously, lots of people I know and respect are in a similar position. I know I'm too much of a sucker to watch them get sick and do nothing, so I try to find ways to get them covered. What would you have us do for you?

I wouldn't expect anyone other than my immediate family members to sell enough of my assets to cover my funeral costs if I was hit by a bus tomorrow.

I'm not wealthy in a monetary way. I rely on my own ability to support myself under any and all circumstances. I'm a seasoned citizen who is often surprised and amazed that I've lived as long as I already have. I'm fully aware of my own mortality and am very comfortable with the fact that I will die some day in the not-too-distant future.

I don't want extraordinary measures performed by anyone should I contract a typically fatal disease or suffer serious injuries due to an accident. I'm content to have lived the life I already have.

franksynopsis

Jul 26, 2011
10:12pm

Block User

Quote

Originally posted by: Chilcoot

Quote
Originally posted by: BobOrme
I don't have insurance . . . .

This wasn't directed at me, but I take it personally. Many people who have no health insurance -- myself included -- are in that position because of financial necessity, not negligence. The question "What do you expect us to do..." implies a degree of empowerment I do not currently enjoy.

I've never been hit by a bus, but I do have coronary artery disease and have visited the emergency room -- both with and without insurance. There was no difference in the treatment I was given. The fact that I did or did not have coverage never entered into it. The only difference was the manner in which the bills were paid, months later. Even with a bit of collection agency harassment, it all seemed like fair trade-off to me -- especially since having a heart attack and going to the hospital was not something I planned in advance.

So, while I did not intentionally ask for "the charity of others," I certainly received it. My last bill was $70,000 and the hospital only asked that I pay $600.

snidely333

Jul 27, 2011
12:20am

Block User

When you aint got nothing, you got nothing to lose.

alanleroy

Jul 27, 2011
12:34am

Block User

Maybe the current system IS working. Frank gets 70,000 worth of medical care for $600. Malibber gets to stick it to the insurance company and save $25 in gas a month.

Of course AlanLeroy who is a small business owner and has never been hospitalized has seen his group insurance rates per family of 2 go from $250 to $1000 a month...$20 Co Pay and perscription drug benefit has gone to a straight $5000 deductable. I try to pass these costs along to my customers, but I have to be competitive. I'm thinkiing of adding a "Health Insurance Surcharge". Don't get me wrong, I'm ok with the coverage..I'm OK with the deductable...Not OK with $1000 a month.

Somehow I don't believe the 'Market' for healthcare in the US is anything close to a 'Free Market'. If it was a free market, we could buy fake drugs from India over the Internet...or maybe even real drugs from Canada at 1/3 the cost. If it was a free market, Doctors would be competing for our business...We'd be getting Groupon offers for hospital stays...They'd have published price lists for common procedures...a single organization wouldn't control the supply of medical schools and doctors.

chipchik

Jul 27, 2011
1:06am

Block User

Quote

Originally posted by: Chilcoot

Quote
Originally posted by: BobOrme
I don't have insurance . . . .

What about the guy who is fully insured and is hit by that bus? The drs. know damn well he will die from his injuries, but continue to do costly tests as they know the ins. will cover them.
That in turn raises ins. costs for everyone.

JM2300

Jul 27, 2011
1:07am

Block User

I remember malibber saying he lived in Santa Claus, IN and there's a Wal Mart 17 miles from his hohohome.
Maybe he's moved, maybe he's exaggerating the $25 gas cost, maybe he needs a more fuel efficient car, etc.....

I am happy he's stickin' it to da man.
Good for him!

chipchik

Jul 27, 2011
1:13am

Block User

Quote

Originally posted by: malibber
It simply will not happen. I was on those other latest and greatest drugs for two years before my insurance ran out. The insurance company, the doctor or even the pharmacy never told me hey do you know you can get this drug that is 99.9% as effective as the one your using now for $4. Nobody ever questioned it. I had a $15 co-pay so I never questioned it either. The bottom line is if you want to know one of the areas where all the money is being sucked out of the health care system this is one of those areas. The pharmaceutical companies slightly tweak an existing drug, call it something new and then send their sales minions out to whine, dine and even 69 doctors to get them to prescribe their new drugs instead of the older cheaper ones.

The insurance companies won't complain even if they don't like it because all three groups are in symbiotic relationship (some might call it a circle jerk) with each other to maximize their respective profits by fleecing the general public.

Quote
Originally posted by: lostlockee2
I'll set you up with a scenario that will probably play out for you in the sometime future. Life will go on and you will get accustomed to getting the "latest and greatest $600+ per month medications". Then one day you will step into the pharmacy and the tech will tell you.

"Sorry sir, you're insurance is now requiring a prior auth for your medication and are now not covering it"

Or perhaps a worse scenario, when it comes to renew your contract next year those drugs that you have been so accustomed to taking will now be off formulary and when you go to pick up, the tech will tell you.

"Sorry sir, you're medication is not covered now."

At this point you will say:

"WHAT!! I HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE. HERE IS MY INSURANCE CARD. ARE YOU STUPID? IT IS COVERED. MY MEDICATION IS COVERED!!! IT WAS $10 LAST MONTH"

"sorry sir, now your insurance is no longer covering your medication this month. We are sending a message to the doctor to contact the insurance to get it covered once again or asking him for a change of medication to something your insurance does cover."

"I NEED THIS MEDICATION NOW!!!! I AM NOT PAYING $200 FOR THIS MEDICATION!! IT WAS $10 LAST MONTH. YOUR PHARMACY NOT SELLING ME THIS MEDICATION WILL CAUSE ME TO DIE!! IT IS ON YOUR HANDS IF I DIE!!!!!! I NEED THE MEDICATION NOW."

"sorry sir, either you need to wait for the insurance to work out things with the doctor and the medication gets covered or you have to pay cash price or you wait for the doctor to change the medication"

At this point, you curse out a storm to the pharmacy tech. Scream at everyone at the pharmacy and tell them they are all incompetant losers and they need to get a life and you are calling corporate on them. All while a line of 5+ people are forming behind you. You then walk away, raging and pissed. You blame the f-ed up united states insurance companies, the f-ed up pharmacy, and the f-ed up health system. You blame everyone but yourself.

Most intelligent people would realize it is on the insurer's side and not the pharmacy.
Why not buy just one or two pills to last until you get it straightened out?
You obviously are setting up a scenario in the way that you would react.
I have never cursed out anyone who is obviously just doing their job. Your scenario suggests the pharm tech was nothing but polite, you on the other hand were not.

chipchik

Jul 27, 2011
1:16am

Block User

Quote

Originally posted by: JM2300
I remember malibber saying he lived in Santa Claus, IN and there's a Wal Mart 17 miles from his hohohome.
Maybe he's moved, maybe he's exaggerating the $25 gas cost, maybe he needs a more fuel efficient car, etc.....

I am happy he's stickin' it to da man.
Good for him!

He could be filling his tank at Wal-Mart and including that as his cost.
lol

malibber

Jul 27, 2011
3:57am

Block User

17 miles from the town limits not my home. I mapped my home address out on map quest so I could give you the exact information:

The distance is 24.48 miles the drive time is 42 minutes. Which equates to 49 miles round trip if I make no other stops.

49 miles/ 15 MPG = 3.3 gallons of gas consumed. 3.3 x 4 = $13.20 so I was wrong in estimating what the gas cost me. However, I was also wrong on the drive time as I underestimated that. Instead of an hour round trip it consumes 1 hour and 24 minutes of drive time alone not counting the wait in the pharmacy. So thanks for pointing that out. Now tell me are you willing to hop in your vehicle and drive an hour and 24 minutes to save your insurance company a few bucks?

In addition in the last year of refilling my prescriptions using their phone refill system which concludes by giving a time your prescription will be ready:

3 times I was sent home with at least one of the prescriptions not filled because they were either completely out of them or low on stock. (they typically give me a 3 day supply) I have to return usually 1-3 days later to complete my refills. So on those occasions I spent (using $4 a gallon gas) $26.40 in gasoline to get my prescriptions filled and 2.48 hours of drive time.

Indeed the last time I filled my prescriptions there I had to call my doctors office as my refills were up. I called the doctors office on Friday and told them to fax in a refill. I waited until Tuesday to pick these up. I arrived at the pharmacy waited approximately 20 minutes in the pick up line only to be told we never received a fax from your doctor's office. I drove back home stopped at the doctors office and physically walked in and asked them if they faxed my prescription refill in as I requested. The receptionist looked it up on the computer as I was standing there The fax had been sent on Friday afternoon at about 3:00. I had to dive back to Wal-Mart the next day, and wait in line to pick up my prescription. After that incident I told myself well my insurance kicks in at the end of the month so I don't have to put up with this bull shit anymore. I doubt any of you reading this would either.

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