Healthcare in the US is obviously a disaster and this is a terrible story. But it's also completely f***ed up on the facts. 1. If he's 26 yrs old, single, and makes $35k per year, he's eligible for Obamacare subsidies. Meaning he could get a Silver Plan for no more than about 9% of his income ($250ish per month). 2. I can't speak to Minnesota's plans, but most states have plans that include a separate deductible or a simple co-pay for prescription drugs. He likely could have gotten one of those, and not paid anything close to $1000/month for his meds. 3. If that's not the case, insurance still generally negotiates rates even if the individual has to pay the amount from his deductible. The idea that no insurance would have a negotiated rate below $1000/month sounds crazy to me. 4. Even if THAT were true, Obamacare plans also have an out-of-pocket maximum around $6500. Combined with his premiums, if he got insurance, the maximum he could spend on ALL his health care for the year should be around $10,000 - that includes doctor's appts, any other meds, etc. That's less than the cost of his $1000/month meds. Something in this article doesn't add up. Maybe @justtxyank can weigh in here? EDIT: Note, my comments have nothing to do with the insulin-specific issue here. Obviously skyrocketing prescription drug prices is a major problem, even if this particular story doesn't add up.
Unless you think his mom is lying. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/alex-smith-died-couldnt-afford-insulin/ In a piece contributed to Truthout.org in February 2018, Smith’s mother, Nicole Smith-Holt, wrote that even though Alec had a full-time job, it did not come with employer-provided health coverage: For Alec, this meant that his insulin and supplies cost almost $1,300 a month. He and I together researched for months in advance about his health insurance options. They weren’t good. The best plan we found would cost him $450 a month for the premium with a whopping $7,600 deductible. That deductible meant he would be paying out-of-pocket for his medicine for many months anyway, so he decided to go without the plan until he could find a different job with benefits.
She doesn't have to be lying - they could have just done really poor research. I mean, you can do it yourself in about 5 minutes. We know he was 26, single, lived in Minneapolis. You can go here: https://compare.mnsure.org This was in 2017, so presumably prices have gone up. Even without subsidies, the most expensive Gold Plan listed is $300/month and that includes a $750 annual deductible. There's not a single plan that's anywhere close to $450.
I went to the site for someone making 35k this is what it said: Qualified health plans through MNsure While it looks like you do not qualify for financial help (advanced premium tax credits), you may still be able to get access to qualified health plans This was the 750 dollar plan: https://compare.mnsure.org/hix/private/planselection?insuranceType=HEALTH#detail I can't find a drug list. The fact they are charging 15 dollars for generics when walmart charges 10 makes me kind of surprised about the health plan. I am not sure if you have ever used health insurance, but it kind of sucks. You go to a doctor for a routine exam and they send it to a wrong lab well you are stuck with some insane bill. You go for a procedure and some guy out of network that you didn't really authorize gives you a drug that is a 5k bill. Most big company health plans are self funded now days. Health insurance really sucks in this country and you really have no idea what it covers even when you have it.
Mitch McConell has his block hammer at the ready. Tina Smith Announces Emergency Insulin Bill Sen. Tina Smith announced plans Friday to introduce legislation to hold insulin manufacturers accountable for the drug’s price increase. The Minnesota Democrat said she will introduce the Emergency Access to Insulin Act next week, two years after Minnesotan Alec Smith, a 26-year-old type one diabetic, died from rationing insulin. The bill would give uninsured or under-insured diabetics short-term insulin via State Insulin Assistance Programs, or SIAPs. Sen. Smith said federal grants would enable SIAPs to provide emergency insulin to patients. The bill will also propose bringing generic insulin to market faster and penalizing insulin manufacturers for insulin price spikes. In the act, Sen. Smith said the average price of insulin almost doubled between 2012 and 2016, and a quarter of diabetics cut back on insulin for financial reasons. She says patients without insurance or with high deductibles are hit the hardest with skyrocketing insulin prices.
I started another thread on insulin. Wal-Mart sells insulin for $25. For me i have to get two types. Its $50 a month. They have been selling it for four years. I had an argument about people not wanting to use the WalMart brand. Even if you dont want to use the Wal-Mart brand the most ive seen it is $135. My argument about insulin (not a pharmacist), its like buying gasoline. It has one function. Insulin is a hormone not a medicine
medicine [ med-uh-sin or, esp. British, med-suhn ] noun any substance or substances used in treating disease or illness; medicament; remedy.
What is the definition of insulin Webster? The only point im trying to make is its the same no matter the brand
We've discussed it before and you are not correct. There are two brands that act the same as each other but different than other short acting insulin. Novalog and Humalog are not interchangeable with other short acting insulin.
You never explained the difference in them besides the timing it takes for them to become effective The only differences are dosages and times, not effectiveness
The ultimate effect is sugar being reduced. You're missing the forest from the trees but ill meet you half way. Some people are more comfortable with certain types. That still doesn't mean there should be a difference of 100 dollars in price