Lets not turn this into a socialism thread. Most times, prescription costs are just "eaten" by the pharma companies. And anyone who thinks any new drug that is novel is NOT going to take advantage of high prices, is nuts. You get yourself an "orphan" drug, (the only drug approved to treat a condition) well, goldmine. Goes off patent-- NEVER. The drug companies want to make money, but regulations and pricing ALL comes from the government, the FDA etc.
Also, given the amount of research that goes into making a drug, I quite often feel that the "patent" system is protective of new drugs being made. That is kind of how it works. If you created something patentable, I'm fairly certain that you would take that patent, and make as MUCH money as possible doing so. As would any other sane person.
We can't complain about "clones" and simultaneously go on about how all meds should cost 4 cents. Nope. Nope.
I don't think Big Pharma or the FDA are "evil". They are using a system developed, and maintained ultimately by government regulation and approval and etc. I take issue with some of it, but developing a new drug is certainly EXPENSIVE.
When my dad's company got the patent (yes, that was patentable) on gene therapy, they were bought out IMMEDIATELY by Merck. Because yes, any "viable" gene therapy therapy had to pay Merck a patent fee.
It is what it is. The best one can do is know the rules, the guidelines and proceed accordingly.
And, once the FDA "completes" vaping, that will be the status of things.
You can get GREAT care with awful insurance. You have to know what you are doing, how to do it, and etc. It costs you, primarily TIME. When I was in public mental health, I had to learn the new system (like, NO, you will not schedule me 6 weeks out after my doc gives me a MONTHS prescription and refuses refills, and then I have to spend 5 days tracking down my case manager, in my case, I called her "Bambi" because of her deer in the headlight eyes, and she SUCKED. I very, very quickly (after ONE TIME) learned to snarl at the secretary until she actually gave me an appointment that came at least ONE day before my meds. It wasn't terrible care-- for me. For a paranoid schizophrenic, it probably was ONGOING horrid care. They couldn't figure out that "patient compliance" would rise if YOU know, people weren't actually running out of their meds, etc.
That's just one really unfortunate example. I mean-- the doc won't give your refills because everyone's "non compliant" and then the secretaries would screw over patients by giving them appointments AFTER their meds ran out, and not everyone was as competent or PUSHY as me, I hated going there, for many reasons, but the MOST because I was always seeing really vulnerable mentally ill folks getting messed with.
That's the part that is hard, at least for MI. Although I'd imagine many seniors don't know their benefits and options. Etc.
Anna
