Comments on: Putting A Price Tag On Life http://www.healthinsurancecolorado.net/blog1/2007/11/05/putting-a-price-tag-on-life/ Research and discussion of the Colorado health insurance industry and the healthcare crisis in America. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:14:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Claudia Fauver http://www.healthinsurancecolorado.net/blog1/2007/11/05/putting-a-price-tag-on-life/comment-page-1/#comment-7775 Claudia Fauver Wed, 07 Nov 2007 05:28:38 +0000 http://www.insuranceshoppers.net/blog1/2007/11/05/putting-a-price-tag-on-life/#comment-7775 I agree with Norma Greer 1000% (100% is not high enough). I'm 65 and on Medicare now. My husband just completed 30 years on the job, has a nice pension, and we were set for retirement until I was diagnosed in August with IBC (inflammatory breast cancer). Now we fear having to spend his entire pension for medicine and other treatments I'll need to continue to fight this devastating illness. I'm on a Medicare HMO and am horrified at the high prices that others are having to pay out of pocket every month. So far, my cost has been minimal, but for how long? It's terrible how the American public is being ripped off by the big pharmaceutical companies, when other countries get the same drugs so much cheaper. I guess I'll have to contact relatives in another country to get what I need at an affordable price if our government doesn't step in and do something soon. Either that, or just go ahead and die for lack of access to medicine and treatment. I was always taught that "charity begins at home", but I sure don't see that in our country today. It's "stick it to us" and practically give it away to other countries. In any event, think long and hard before you vote in 2008. You may be in need of medical treatment one day and not be able to get it until you've bankrupted yourself and lost everything you worked so hard for all your life. Think about it! I agree with Norma Greer 1000% (100% is not high enough). I’m 65 and on Medicare now. My husband just completed 30 years on the job, has a nice pension, and we were set for retirement until I was diagnosed in August with IBC (inflammatory breast cancer). Now we fear having to spend his entire pension for medicine and other treatments I’ll need to continue to fight this devastating illness. I’m on a Medicare HMO and am horrified at the high prices that others are having to pay out of pocket every month. So far, my cost has been minimal, but for how long?

It’s terrible how the American public is being ripped off by the big pharmaceutical companies, when other countries get the same drugs so much cheaper. I guess I’ll have to contact relatives in another country to get what I need at an affordable price if our government doesn’t step in and do something soon. Either that, or just go ahead and die for lack of access to medicine and treatment. I was always taught that “charity begins at home”, but I sure don’t see that in our country today. It’s “stick it to us” and practically give it away to other countries.

In any event, think long and hard before you vote in 2008. You may be in need of medical treatment one day and not be able to get it until you’ve bankrupted yourself and lost everything you worked so hard for all your life. Think about it!

]]> By: Norma Greer http://www.healthinsurancecolorado.net/blog1/2007/11/05/putting-a-price-tag-on-life/comment-page-1/#comment-7773 Norma Greer Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:26:36 +0000 http://www.insuranceshoppers.net/blog1/2007/11/05/putting-a-price-tag-on-life/#comment-7773 Thank you for this article. Our healthcare system is criminal in the way it is run. Protectionism exists for healthcare companies and big Pharma against the best interests of the American people. The form of healthcare we have in the U.S. is the most expensive and the most inefficient. I have cancer and am lucky to have excellent insurance, at least until I get dumped into the Medicare program. There is no way to satisfy both the shareholders, greed from Congress and healthcare users. We need a universal healthcare system that is -- yes -- Socialized Medicine. Since I am an American, I am forced by our government to pay the highest prices in the world for medications that are either made here, or are considered safe here, because of what Congress has allowed because pressure and gifts from big Pharma. I take chemotherapy by pill, Xeloda 500 mg. It is made in Switzerland. I take 6 pills per day and the cheapest I could find them is $17.94 a pill - that is $107.64 per day or $753.48 per week. I could get them from Canada - same manufacturer for $5.92 per day. The weekly cost would be $248.64 per week, a difference of $504.84 per week. That is outrageous!!! If a profit is being made at $5.92 per pill, why are the American public being ripped off? If we don't do something with our votes in this coming presidential election, we deserve what we get and we will lose the most incredible, "Democracy" in the world. Thank you for this article. Our healthcare system is criminal in the way it is run.

Protectionism exists for healthcare companies and big Pharma against the best interests of the American people.

The form of healthcare we have in the U.S. is the most expensive and the most inefficient.

I have cancer and am lucky to have excellent insurance, at least until I get dumped into the Medicare program.

There is no way to satisfy both the shareholders, greed from Congress and healthcare users. We need a universal healthcare system that is — yes — Socialized Medicine.

Since I am an American, I am forced by our government to pay the highest prices in the world for medications that are either made here, or are considered safe here, because of what Congress has allowed because pressure and gifts from big Pharma. I take chemotherapy by pill, Xeloda 500 mg. It is made in Switzerland. I take 6 pills per day and the cheapest I could find them is $17.94 a pill – that is $107.64 per day or $753.48 per week.

I could get them from Canada – same manufacturer for $5.92 per day. The weekly cost would be $248.64 per week, a difference of $504.84 per week. That is outrageous!!! If a profit is being made at $5.92 per pill, why are the American public being ripped off?

If we don’t do something with our votes in this coming presidential election, we deserve what we get and we will lose the most incredible, “Democracy” in the world.

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