The Medicare Thread

[XXX-er]

An artical on drug tourism to Canada, look how happy those Americans in the pict are after buying insulin at 1/10th the price of the drug in America which could have run them 1100 $ a month

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...ulin-1.5125988

" Right now, insulin isn't available as a generic drug in the U.S., because pharmaceutical companies have made small improvements to insulin over the years to keep it under patent. "

[Nobody Famous]

An artical on drug tourism to Canada, look how happy those Americans in the pict are after buying insulin at 1/10th the price of the drug in America which could have run them 1100 $ a month

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...ulin-1.5125988

" Right now, insulin isn't available as a generic drug in the U.S., because pharmaceutical companies have made small improvements to insulin over the years to keep it under patent. "

It's true, and it makes for a good headline, some drug treatments are way less costly outside the US.

Those stories never mention the point if masses of people in some wealthy country (i.e., the US) are not now, and have not been, paying high premium prices for the drugs then the drugs likely wouldn't exist.

What other country is going to invest the time, effort, money and brain power to develop all the drug treatments that to date have been created in the US?

Before someone jumps in to say Canada and western Europe (UK and the Swiss in particular) do have a formidable drug development process, yes they do. But it's not near the same level as, cumulatively, what has come out of the US.

Ref:
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA788-4.html

https://www.science.org/content/blog...s-come-country

[XXX-er]

Yes good points for sure but Sir fred invented it > 100 years ago at the uni of Toronto wroking togetehr with a scot named John Macleod for which they recieved the nobel prize and fred the sir fred bit and so he was Canadian not American, in any case American drug companies are till ripping off Americans > 100 yrs later and so I think the obvious thing for the Americans in that artical to do is buy stock in American drug companies and quit whinning

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonas_Salk

Salk was immediately hailed as a "miracle worker" when the vaccine's success was first made public in April 1955, and chose to not patent the vaccine or seek any profit from it in order to maximize its global distribution.[2] The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis and the University of Pittsburgh looked into patenting the vaccine, but since Salk's techniques were not novel, their patent attorney said, "If there were any patentable novelty to be found in this phase it would lie within an extremely narrow scope and would be of doubtful value."

looks like Jonas Salk invented the polio vax at U of Pit who's logo is " truth & virtue " which won't matter won't matter cuz y'all are gona make polio great again

Nils Bohlin a swede invented the 3 point seatbelt in 1959 and Volvo opened the patent cuz they did it cuz they realized a better seat belt could save many lives

but maybe Donald Trump can annex sweden ... claim the licensing !

[Cono Este]

There are many types of Insulins, and now even other drugs lie, oezempic, that don’t fall under this new law, I believe.

I am a diabetic. Years ago, one of my clients steered me to Walmart, they have their own brand of basic insulin for $25, flex pens $45. I bought them.


Maybe 1-20 of my clients is benefitting from this, including my own mother so that’s great. But we’re making up the difference by increasing the cost to other seniors, that’s a fact, and no cool, if you ask me.

[Cono Este]

I will also give credit to Walmart for having blood work now, for $40.

The best part is, you don’t have to pay physician 200-400, every three months, for a routin test you always have, just to find out your A1C.

[XXX-er]

Wow even a cheap a1C which just shows you how ubiquitous type 1 is, whom would have thot walmart could would do it for so cheap and still make money which just shows you how much Americans are getting ripped off by big pharma ?

I am type 2 but i control it by not stuffing my festering gob with too much food and cutting out added sugar, when my GP asks I just go to the hospitol lab, they ask me when i was born and take my blood

BTW medical types should ALWAYS ask when you were born, I had a medical done by a visiting resident who didnt know me and he had the wrong chart, the lab tech asked and she had a chart for someone with the same name 8 yrs younger

I thot i did look 8 yrs younger ?

yesturday I read there are 6 types of insulin and many brands ?

[Nobody Famous]

Tip on insulin, I don't use it but my neighbor does.

Neighbor swears by goodrx.com, he says always checks prices on their before buying.

[jm2e]

Biden made Insulin cheap. Fakt


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[XXX-er]

Biden made Insulin cheap. Fakt

so I googled it right ?

apparently Insulin is cheaper for people on Medicare

[Cono Este]

Wow even a cheap a1C which just shows you how ubiquitous type 1 is, whom would have thot walmart could would do it for so cheap and still make money which just shows you how much Americans are getting ripped off by big pharma ?

I am type 2 but i control it by not stuffing my festering gob with too much food and cutting out added sugar, when my GP asks I just go to the hospitol lab, they ask me when i was born and take my blood

BTW medical types should ALWAYS ask when you were born, I had a medical done by a visiting resident who didnt know me and he had the wrong chart, the lab tech asked and she had a chart for someone with the same name 8 yrs younger

I thot i did look 8 yrs younger ?

yesturday I read there are 6 types of insulin and many brands ?

I’m no pharmacist, but there are a wide range of Insulin, it’s like tech, it’s developing. Basic insulin has been around a long time, but then you get into different delivery, like pens etc, then the latest, like ozempic, which does not fall under bidens new rule, or jardiamce, etc.

For sure, this is overall good, and the Walmart deal was not well known.


The biggest problem I run into, is doctors prescribing the wrong insulin, as in, not on someone’s formulary, they rarely check. Like insulin R, vs N, same with jardiance vs. that other one, I assign equal blame to the ins company and lazy doctors.

[Cono Este]

Wow even a cheap a1C which just shows you how ubiquitous type 1 is, whom would have thot walmart could would do it for so cheap and still make money which just shows you how much Americans are getting ripped off by big pharma ?

I am type 2 but i control it by not stuffing my festering gob with too much food and cutting out added sugar, when my GP asks I just go to the hospitol lab, they ask me when i was born and take my blood

BTW medical types should ALWAYS ask when you were born, I had a medical done by a visiting resident who didnt know me and he had the wrong chart, the lab tech asked and she had a chart for someone with the same name 8 yrs younger

I thot i did look 8 yrs younger ?

yesturday I read there are 6 types of insulin and many brands ?

I don’t really need any meds, finally eating right, no alcohol, and an hr of cardio without fail. I’m around 6.5 and at my college swimming weight again.

[bennymac]

Ozempic is not insulin. Neither is jardiance.

That kinda “expertise” is how you end up with “concepts of a plan” guy instead of this guy:

[XXX-er]

I don’t really need any meds, finally eating right, no alcohol, and an hr of cardio without fail. I’m around 6.5 and at my college swimming weight again.

I'm pretty sure insulin IS meds, I don't use any

I almost sucumbed to my MD trying to put me on metformin but it aint happening

I went down 2 points to 7ish just by eating way less and cutting out all added sugar so ya that is the " eating right "

a new MD will tell me i'm Diabetic and an old MD will tell me I got high blood sugar

[Cono Este]

That’s was years ago. I’m down 40 lbs. High stress raises my BS, that’s why I work less, and fuck off more. It’s working. Health before $$

[old goat]

I was starting my taxes on Turbo Tax and I got the notice that my SSA 1099 was available. So I start filling in the Turbo Tax blanks and there's one for the part D deduction from my SS which I entered about 600 last year but this year the 1099 doesn't list a Part D deduction. I'm guessing this might have something to do with changes in Medicare for 2024 affecting Part D. Anyone know more about it? I just want to be sure I'm not missing something. (I'm in an Advantage plan.)

[bigdude2468]

Minnesota's plan limits insulin, asthma inhalers, and EpiPens to just $25 a month, and medical supplies to $50 month. It does not limit insurance companies from raising premiums to cover the additional costs they will incur.

[old goat]

Wow even a cheap a1C which just shows you how ubiquitous type 1 is, whom would have thot walmart could would do it for so cheap and still make money which just shows you how much Americans are getting ripped off by big pharma ?

I am type 2 but i control it by not stuffing my festering gob with too much food and cutting out added sugar, when my GP asks I just go to the hospitol lab, they ask me when i was born and take my blood

BTW medical types should ALWAYS ask when you were born, I had a medical done by a visiting resident who didnt know me and he had the wrong chart, the lab tech asked and she had a chart for someone with the same name 8 yrs younger

I thot i did look 8 yrs younger ?

yesturday I read there are 6 types of insulin and many brands ?

You still have charts in Canada?

I’m no pharmacist, but there are a wide range of Insulin, it’s like tech, it’s developing. Basic insulin has been around a long time, but then you get into different delivery, like pens etc, then the latest, like ozempic, which does not fall under bidens new rule, or jardiamce, etc.

For sure, this is overall good, and the Walmart deal was not well known.


The biggest problem I run into, is doctors prescribing the wrong insulin, as in, not on someone’s formulary, they rarely check. Like insulin R, vs N, same with jardiance vs. that other one, I assign equal blame to the ins company and lazy doctors.

It is reasonable to expect doctors to start with cheap(er), time-tested drugs first. It is not reasonable to expect them to be looking up the formulary for every insurance plan their patients have. That's not lazy, that's using their time to talk to patients. Even working for Kaiser I had patients with a lot of different deductibles and copays. You can't expect doctors to keep track of that shit and it's not something you can delegate.

I had my eyes opened when I looked at what my mom was taking. These were drugs for blood pressure and heart and lipids--the kinds of drugs I saw dozens of times every day, but I had never heard of the drugs she was taking. They were newer (still under patent), more expensive, me-too drugs repped to doctors with no particular benefit to patients. So I get it that insurers need formularies to control costs--under the present outmoded fee-for-service, fee-for-drug system. So blame the system.

[XXX-er]

You still have charts in Canada? .

It was a Papyrus scroll and being a resident he had to fill it out using his own blood to out the chart for the wrong patient

I have a good pharmascist so sez my medical consultant the retired MD,

the one i accused last week of having no bed side manor cuz he was a anesthetist which is like practically a surgeon

[Bunion 2020]

Just had an unwelcome surprise.

My part D last year was $ 8.30 a month. Because of the IRA and a $ 2000.00 cap on out of pocket my premium was raised to $ 43.00 a month. I only take 1 medication that is generic and dirt cheap.

[4matic]

You still have charts in Canada?



It is reasonable to expect doctors to start with cheap(er), time-tested drugs first. It is not reasonable to expect them to be looking up the formulary for every insurance plan their patients have. That's not lazy, that's using their time to talk to patients. Even working for Kaiser I had patients with a lot of different deductibles and copays. You can't expect doctors to keep track of that shit and it's not something you can delegate.

I had my eyes opened when I looked at what my mom was taking. These were drugs for blood pressure and heart and lipids--the kinds of drugs I saw dozens of times every day, but I had never heard of the drugs she was taking. They were newer (still under patent), more expensive, me-too drugs repped to doctors with no particular benefit to patients. So I get it that insurers need formularies to control costs--under the present outmoded fee-for-service, fee-for-drug system. So blame the system.

Yeah, my mom was taking several unnecessary designer drugs for common ailments at 87 y/o costing her hundreds of dollars per month. It was during the time of pharma kickbacks to doctors.

[fomofo]

It was during the time of pharma kickbacks to doctors.

Is that no longer happening?

[Harry]

My EOB for knee surgery last month just posted, for all the appointments, MRI, more appointments, surgery, more appointments, 8 weeks of PT, then more appointments, my total out-of-pocket was…

$13.10



Thanks taxpayers!

[Bunion 2020]

Isn't UHC awesome?

[mcski]

[emoji638]][emoji640][emoji639]][emoji637][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji6[emoji640][emoji637]]][emoji639][emoji637][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji640]][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji640]]]My EOB for knee surgery last month just posted, for all the appointments, MRI, more appointments, surgery, more appointments, [emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji640]] weeks of PT, then more appointments, my total out-of-pocket was…

$[emoji637][emoji639].[emoji637][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]]



Thanks taxpayers!

Sounds like regular Medicare.

(UHC seems to not dick around in that space)

[Nobody Famous]

My EOB for knee surgery last month just posted, for all the appointments, MRI, more appointments, surgery, more appointments, 8 weeks of PT, then more appointments, my total out-of-pocket was… $13.10 Thanks taxpayers!

You started this thread two years and five months ago (it's been very helpful, thanks for that), questioning what to do when you reached medicare eligible age. This makes it seem like you chose wisely.