Corrupt Congress
Congress not only indirectly raised the cost of healthcare by not allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, but also in at least one case, it raised the cost of drugs through a pinpoint piece of legislation. The New York Times reported a provision buried in the “fiscal cliff” bill passed in January 2013 gave Amgen, […]
Hospitals Attack High Drug Prices
Intermountain Healthcare is a Utah-based, not-for-profit system of 22 hospitals, a Medical Group with more than 1,600 physicians and advanced practice clinicians at about 180 clinics. Generic drugs account for 85% of the drugs Intermountain’s hospitals and clinics administer. The generic drugs account for one-third of Intermountain’s cost. As is the case for all healthcare providers, the […]
Big Pharma and Politics
At a rally in Kentucky, President Donald Trump said drug prices were “outrageous”. The next day, according to Kaiser Health News, the pharmaceutical industry donated more money to political campaigns than any other day this year. On March 21, eight pharma political action committees made 137 contributions to 77 politicians totaling nearly $280,000. Both Republicans and […]
Congress Puts Drug Lobbyists Ahead of Those They are Supposed to Represent
As I have written in Health Attitude: Unraveling and Solving the Complexities of Healthcare, there are many problems with the American healthcare system. The number one problem is the high cost. It is not the cost of the insurance, it is the cost of delivering the healthcare. Billions of dollars are spent on legal fees to […]
High Cost of Drugs – Pills
Last week, I reported the cost of one once of eyedrops I needed would be $1,425. I compared the price to an outstanding cabernet such as Opus One 2012, which costs $289.99. The price comes out to $11.43 per ounce. The eye drops are 125 times more expensive than the $290 bottle of fine wine. […]