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Coffee Shop
Obamacare just screwed me
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<blockquote data-quote="boondocks" data-source="post: 1121143" data-attributes="member: 20599"><p>Enbrel is a "biologic"--not a traditional pharmaceutical preparation that can be scaled up readily. It's one of a few such drugs now on the market, mostly to treat chronic long-term conditions. Because they are so new, no "generics" are available yet, although it's my understanding that part of the ACA is focused on giving greater incentives to generic players to come up with "biosimilars" to these extremely expensive medications. Part of the problem, of course, is not only that they are sky-high per dose, but that they must typically be taken for the rest of one's life. (This, in comparison to antibiotics, many chemo drugs, etc). </p><p></p><p>Separate and apart from the ACA, <em>all </em>insurance companies have been severely dialing back the past few years on what meds are covered. I have Blue Cross and can't get meds I need. (Well, I could pay out-of-pocket for $500/mo). The drugs have just gotten too pricey (in part because we "subsidize" the pharmaceutical R&D necessary to develop these drugs; many countries place direct limits on drug prices, leaving countries like the US that traditionally had a open checkbook to cover the massive costs of bringing a drug to market--and, of course, the huge profits and salaries on top).</p><p></p><p>In my view, we are in the middle of a sea change and it's hard to see where it ends up. Everyone blaming the doctors, lawyers, and what-not: No, sorry. WE are the "problem." We and our ever-strong desire for more health care, longer lives, better quality of life, etc. The stuff we have now (MRI's, high-tech gamma radiation, chemo, coronary bypass, organ transplants, etc etc) wasn't something our ancestors had to worry about paying for. Leeches, chicken soup, onion poultices (on your chest) and cigar smoke (blown in a child's ear to treat ear infection) were cheap.</p><p></p><p>Not only do we demand "MORE!" care, we don't even want to take minimal steps to take good preventive care of ourselves. A huge percentage of our collective health care dollars is going towards treating the "triad": high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol--things many of us can prevent.</p><p></p><p>Another thing people who hate the ACA forget: when people don't have health insurance, they still get care, just at the ER, where it's more expensive. Because the ER can't turn people away once they're seriously ill, you and I pay for their care anyway. Yeah, I don't like it either. But them's the facts...</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="boondocks, post: 1121143, member: 20599"] Enbrel is a "biologic"--not a traditional pharmaceutical preparation that can be scaled up readily. It's one of a few such drugs now on the market, mostly to treat chronic long-term conditions. Because they are so new, no "generics" are available yet, although it's my understanding that part of the ACA is focused on giving greater incentives to generic players to come up with "biosimilars" to these extremely expensive medications. Part of the problem, of course, is not only that they are sky-high per dose, but that they must typically be taken for the rest of one's life. (This, in comparison to antibiotics, many chemo drugs, etc). Separate and apart from the ACA, [i]all [/i]insurance companies have been severely dialing back the past few years on what meds are covered. I have Blue Cross and can't get meds I need. (Well, I could pay out-of-pocket for $500/mo). The drugs have just gotten too pricey (in part because we "subsidize" the pharmaceutical R&D necessary to develop these drugs; many countries place direct limits on drug prices, leaving countries like the US that traditionally had a open checkbook to cover the massive costs of bringing a drug to market--and, of course, the huge profits and salaries on top). In my view, we are in the middle of a sea change and it's hard to see where it ends up. Everyone blaming the doctors, lawyers, and what-not: No, sorry. WE are the "problem." We and our ever-strong desire for more health care, longer lives, better quality of life, etc. The stuff we have now (MRI's, high-tech gamma radiation, chemo, coronary bypass, organ transplants, etc etc) wasn't something our ancestors had to worry about paying for. Leeches, chicken soup, onion poultices (on your chest) and cigar smoke (blown in a child's ear to treat ear infection) were cheap. Not only do we demand "MORE!" care, we don't even want to take minimal steps to take good preventive care of ourselves. A huge percentage of our collective health care dollars is going towards treating the "triad": high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol--things many of us can prevent. Another thing people who hate the ACA forget: when people don't have health insurance, they still get care, just at the ER, where it's more expensive. Because the ER can't turn people away once they're seriously ill, you and I pay for their care anyway. Yeah, I don't like it either. But them's the facts... [/QUOTE]
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