12 Comments
User's avatar
⭠ Return to thread
JDinTX's avatar

I was recently prescribed a drug that cost almost $800 for three months. It made me nauseous and I asked for a different drug. Another one for the same thing cost $5.00. I am still gobsmacked. I feel the vultures are overseeing our health care.

Expand full comment
Gail Adams VA/FL's avatar

Similar experience here. Script was $900+. Good rx coupon was $46. Crazy. Today I pick up a $8500 script. We’ll see how the $2000 cap works. If no go, back to hospital infusions which Medicare covers. The same drug (Enbrel) that the pharmaceutical company provided almost free for 12 years. What a racket.

Expand full comment
JDinTX's avatar

Racket describes it best. I had no idea til this last insanity.

Expand full comment
J L Graham's avatar

Monopolies are a form of extortion. Control the market for things that people need or want and name your price. My local paper ran a story on how a local surgeon who was "performing" several operations at once became the hero of hospital bean counters. The downside was poorer patient outcomes. That's the choice point we are facing, and since Reagan, the bean counters usually win.

One of the extortion rackets is what has become of patents. Patents, or something like them can serve the needs of both innovators and society because ostensibly, we make the rules. Yet the rules have steadily become more one-sided and abusive as an engine of monopolies. There is plenty of room to rethink and reevaluate policies that should serve everyone. Government of the people, by the people, for the people don'cha know?

Expand full comment
Gail Adams VA/FL's avatar

On point. Thanks

Expand full comment
JDinTX's avatar

And so it should be. Extortion racket seems to nail what I have been through lately.

Expand full comment
Miselle's avatar

I don't have many prescriptions, but before I hit Medicare, a friend told me about Good Rx. I have no idea how they manage to get the prices so low, and I do realize they don't apply it to your insurance, but still! I had a topical ointment that would have cost $100 through insurance and was $27 using the Good RX.

Expand full comment
J L Graham's avatar

I too found a source of a drug cheaper out of pocket than though my very expensive insurance through Good Rx.

Expand full comment
Gail Adams VA/FL's avatar

I don’t get it. I suppose big pharma viewed Medicare as a cash cow.

Expand full comment
J L Graham's avatar

You betcha. That's why Republicans prohibited Medicare from negotiating price. They capture power for plutocrats.

Expand full comment
JDinTX's avatar

“Republicans” is synonymous with vulture. As HST said, they oppose anything that helps the average American. It’s been going on for a long time.

Expand full comment
JDinTX's avatar

Thank you for this. I signed up for Mark Cuban’s drug plan but they don’t have any of mine at present. Maybe I’ll try Good RX

Expand full comment