Shouldn't this figure be tied to the CPI?
Illinois governor signs law capping insulin costs at $100 per month
151–160 of 422 posts
Re: Illinois governor signs law capping insulin costs at $100 per month
#152Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don’t demand my roads, libraries, or other public goods turn a profit. I wouldn’t demand the same of public pharma research (NIH, DARPA). Perhaps the market is not designed for this sort of endeavor (drug research). Let government stand in where the market has failed.
Except the market has succeeded fantastically. In my lifetime alone, AIDS and HepC went from death sentences to chronic conditions. Many forms of leukemia went from fatal to highly treatable. Meanwhile, what has the government done? The trip from DC to New York on Amtrak is slower today than it was in 1960. In 1980, DC’s Metro had self driving trains. They had to shut that down in 2009 due to lack of maintenance and…
Of course you can find examples of where the private sector outperforms government. And I can provide counter examples. I just moved to a much smaller city (in the same region) with gigabit municipal internet. For the same price that I was paying comcast for 50 mbps internet, I now have 20 times the speed with no data caps.
The market works great until it doesn't. The interstate system, and the military are 2 prime examples where the market is never going to provide a solution. Affordable medical care for everyone is another.
Re: Illinois governor signs law capping insulin costs at $100 per month
#153Earlier quoted context omitted.
On the other hand, I hate the general attitude of "don't question your doctor or do your own medical research; the doctor knows what's best" Doctors are mortals too and can only have so much time to draw on info they crammed X years ago. Patients can quickly become more expert than GPs with regards to their own diseases, especially if they have months to research it. Anecdotal example - my sister had a wierd skin con…
> Patients can quickly become more expert than GPs with regards to their own diseases, especially if they have months to research it. Waking into a 15 minute appointment with months worth of research seems like a bad way to approach collaboration with healthcare professionals. Or do people still have personal relationships with doctors outside the appointment window? It seems like GPs have become dispensers of medici…
It isn't always possible to answer every question in 15 minutes, but I think it's helpful when people have questions to come prepared with those questions. It's literally our job to provide health advice; the "realities" of dealing with high volume can't/shouldn't change that.
Re: Illinois governor signs law capping insulin costs at $100 per month
#154Earlier quoted context omitted.
How will people lose their insulin over this?
Let's say that you write a bill "you can't sell insulin for over $100". If insulin sellers refuse to sell for less than $100, there's no insulin available. However, the bill might also say that insurance companies must keep the out-of-pocket costs under $100 or that the state will make up any amount over $100. In reality, it seems unlikely to harm insulin availability since most jurisdictions have cheap insulin and t…
The actual bill[1] says (more or less) that insurance policies that include prescription drug coverage must cover insulin with a maximum of $100 out-of-pocket expense to the insured for a 30-day supply (page 12 lines 12-18). That $100 limit is indexed to the medical component of the Consumer Price Index (page 13 lines 1-6). It doesn't directly affect the amount suppliers receive, and the state isn't offering to reimburse anyone for the difference. If you don't have insurance which covers prescription drugs then the limit does not apply.
This will most likely lead to higher insurance premiums for policies which cover prescription drugs. Certainly the insurers and suppliers aren't going to be the ones paying for it.
[1] http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?SessionId=108&D...
Re: Illinois governor signs law capping insulin costs at $100 per month
#155Earlier quoted context omitted.
On the other hand, I hate the general attitude of "don't question your doctor or do your own medical research; the doctor knows what's best" Doctors are mortals too and can only have so much time to draw on info they crammed X years ago. Patients can quickly become more expert than GPs with regards to their own diseases, especially if they have months to research it. Anecdotal example - my sister had a wierd skin con…
> Patients can quickly become more expert than GPs with regards to their own diseases, especially if they have months to research it. Waking into a 15 minute appointment with months worth of research seems like a bad way to approach collaboration with healthcare professionals. Or do people still have personal relationships with doctors outside the appointment window? It seems like GPs have become dispensers of medici…
The only people that do months of research are those with a chronic disease (diabetes, cancer, Lyme, etc.)
However, many people will at least do several hours of research before going into the doctor
Re: Illinois governor signs law capping insulin costs at $100 per month
#156Earlier quoted context omitted.
It is where I live, so weird visiting the US and seeing "ask your doctor for" adverts. If I asked my GP for a specific medication they'd look at me like an alien.
On the other hand, I hate the general attitude of "don't question your doctor or do your own medical research; the doctor knows what's best" Doctors are mortals too and can only have so much time to draw on info they crammed X years ago. Patients can quickly become more expert than GPs with regards to their own diseases, especially if they have months to research it. Anecdotal example - my sister had a wierd skin con…
>Doctors are mortals too and can only have so much time to draw on info they crammed X years ago.
First, doctors are expected and generally pursue continuing education. As much as the "golfing at an exotic locale during a medical conference" is a meme, many of those conference also educate doctors on new therapies.
Second, let's not pretend that the drug conpany reps don't get as damn close to bribery as possible to get their medications in front of doctors and in hospitals
Re: Illinois governor signs law capping insulin costs at $100 per month
#157Earlier quoted context omitted.
Generic Insulin is already cheap, around $100. It is the newer more effective versions that pharma companies have come up with recently that are more expensive. One can't argue that the pharma companies are bringing no value, and then demand their specific product because the generic isn't good enough. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/insulin-walmart-vial/
One can argue they’re attempting to capture more value than the social contract intended, and that contract will be updated through legislative action. We reserve the right as a society to update the social contract at any time.
I never signed a social contract. Can you point me to the text? I'd like to read it, since apparently it keeps requiring me to relinquish my rights.
Re: Illinois governor signs law capping insulin costs at $100 per month
#158I'm really past the whole "pharma need to charge high prices to fund research" line of argument. Aside from being factually untrue (research funding is dwarfed by marketing for example[0]), it is also arguing for a continued unhealthy relationship with pharmaceutical care. A large amount of research is currently publicly funded. Either via public academic research or directly. When that research bears fruit it is oft…
> When [publicly funded] research bears fruit it is often given away almost at-cost Publicly funded research should be given away, royalty-free, to the public. Universities aren't in the business of...business.
But it isn't. It is licensed to an exclusive drug manufacturer who has a de facto monopoly on the new drug. If it were protected with drug patents then those patents licensed for free to all generic manufacturers, that would be a massive improvement.
Re: Illinois governor signs law capping insulin costs at $100 per month
#159Earlier quoted context omitted.
One can argue they’re attempting to capture more value than the social contract intended, and that contract will be updated through legislative action. We reserve the right as a society to update the social contract at any time.
I never signed a social contract. Can you point me to the text? I'd like to read it, since apparently it keeps requiring me to relinquish my rights.
Google for your local, state, and federal law. Your continued presence in the jurisdiction indicates your acceptance of the implicit contract defined by these laws.
If it doesn’t vibe with your beliefs (which is fair!), there are other jurisdictions available for consideration, a visa and plane ticket away.
Re: Illinois governor signs law capping insulin costs at $100 per month
#160Earlier quoted context omitted.
On the other hand, I hate the general attitude of "don't question your doctor or do your own medical research; the doctor knows what's best" Doctors are mortals too and can only have so much time to draw on info they crammed X years ago. Patients can quickly become more expert than GPs with regards to their own diseases, especially if they have months to research it. Anecdotal example - my sister had a wierd skin con…
> Patients can quickly become more expert than GPs with regards to their own diseases, especially if they have months to research it. Waking into a 15 minute appointment with months worth of research seems like a bad way to approach collaboration with healthcare professionals. Or do people still have personal relationships with doctors outside the appointment window? It seems like GPs have become dispensers of medici…
Concierge medicine in some areas allow hour long appointments which makes the exchange of complex health concerns effective. I really wish the model would scale up, but primary care doctors are currently slaves to an administration.