Santorum Tells Sick Kid Market Should Set Drug Prices

**Yuri-G** · 2012-02-02 14:07

Originally Posted by SwampdonkeyPLD

It is fucked up. Imagine if car insurance worked like health insurance. An oil change would cost $1,000.

alright, if we can agree with swampy on this, I think we're onto something.

**Ashmada** · 2012-02-02 14:32

Not only was that a major dick move, his statement doesn't even make any sense.

He's just saying that, while some people can afford overpriced Ipads, some can't afford their medication which should be pretty common knowledge.

I don't see how he's making any kind of point, there, aside from one about wealth gap.

On a more generic note: those right-wing politicians (both side of the atlantic) always pretend to defend capitalism, but they don't.
One essential pillar of capitalism is competition; monopolies are just as damaging to the capitalist model as excessive legislative interference in the market, if not moreso.

**Tyche** · 2012-02-02 14:40

Originally Posted by Callisto

I don't know exactly how much cost goes into pharmaceutical research, but the whole medical system cost structure has to be fucked up. I'm currently paying off $9k in medical bills that are the result of a 3 mile ambulance trip, one night's stay in a hospital with 5 doses of Dilaudid, and 3 visits to an eye doctor. No surgery, no crazy procedures, no rare blood diseases requiring complex laboratory work. Someone is honestly trying to tell me that even with a hefty profit margin included, it cost well over 33% of what I make in a year(that particular year I had a rough stretch of unemployment and actually only made $11k, so it was almost my entire year's income) to give me 5 shots of a painkiller and let me sleep in a bed for half a day? I don't know if I'm necessarily in favor for socialized healthcare, but with employment being where it is(most of the jobs I've had in the last 5 years were forced to be through temp agencies that don't offer insurance) my options are either pay ridiculous costs for non-employer subsidized insurance or just let my body fall apart(which it has, greatly) because I can't afford to pay more for one trip to the hospital than I pay in rent for a year, that's fucked up.

You're paying for shitty insurance practices and the uninsured. My wife's insurance company is making the hospital eat a 15,000 bill because they didn't call the insurance company to verify the coverage at 2am when she went to the ER (where she ended up having shingles at the 8th month of pregnancy). Because the hospital is constantly bent over by insurance companies and the uninsured, they pass these costs to you or your insurance in the form of marked up operational costs. Single payer would universally bring health care costs down.

**Talint** · 2012-02-02 15:13

I am unequivocally in favor of banishing all health insurance companies in favor of socialized medicine, and federalizing every doctor who practices in the United States.

Come at me, bro.

**Callisto** · 2012-02-02 15:27

Originally Posted by Tyche

You're paying for shitty insurance practices and the uninsured.

I'm honestly probably going to have to add to it myself. I've paid off the ridiculous ambulance ride($700 for 3 miles) and outrageous eye doctor($1,300 for 3 check-ups and a new glasses prescription), but the remaining $6,700 for the hospital itself I just don't think I can do. Especially since this was all the result of a car accident that I was a passenger in and another uninsured driver was at fault, but they fled the country; it's not like I voluntarily walked in and asked for treatment and I just can't be on the hook for all that. I'm hoping to at least get the hospital to work out a settlement with me so I don't have to tell them to just write it off, I did need the treatment but I just can't pay that much.

Non-employer subsidized insurance is a whole other issue as well, the ones that are 'affordable' end up denying every claim that gets filed or shortpaying the hell out of them, so either you still get left on the hook for a ton of money or the care provider eats it, I know that private practices are being ran clear out of business because of this.

**Penthesilea** · 2012-02-02 17:00

Originally Posted by solanis

thank you for explaining my point, elvis. that kind of income wouldn't be possible in a price-regulated environment, or at least not the type that yuri is proposing. I don't think your dad would have gone into medicine if he knew it meant he would only be able to provide a middle class life for his family. you're a rich kid? that explains a lot I guess.

I do drug discovery and it intrigues me. My motivation isn't the compensation because I've been looking at moving to university based research instead of corporate. Not everyone is motivated by money.

**Flatliner** · 2012-02-02 18:04

The best part about this is that if everybody completed stopped buying what they wanted and only bought things that they needed (or didn't "overpay" for things like an Ipad) the American economy would fall off a cliff. I'm sure Mr. Free Market would love that.

**RKenshin** · 2012-02-02 18:08

I think the notion that all innovation will cease to exist if the drug companies are regulated slightly more is silly. No one is saying that we should completely gut their profits, but it is perfectly reasonable to expect that a certain decent % of the profits go back into research (rather than just distributed in mega-bonuses to top execs, or to lobbyists, or to political campaigns, etc).

That, and not to mention drug companies aren't the only entity of research into drug/disease antidotes and cures. Certainly would do a lot of good to put even 1/100th of our defense budget towards medical research.

**Xantavia** · 2012-02-02 18:28

Originally Posted by RKenshin

I think the notion that all innovation will cease to exist if the drug companies are regulated slightly more is silly. No one is saying that we should completely gut their profits, but it is perfectly reasonable to expect that a certain decent % of the profits go back into research (rather than just distributed in mega-bonuses to top execs, or to lobbyists, or to political campaigns, etc).

That, and not to mention drug companies aren't the only entity of research into drug/disease antidotes and cures. Certainly would do a lot of good to put even 1/100th of our defense budget towards medical research.

It always bothers me how much appears to spent on just advertising their experimental drugs. It seems like every commercial break is saying to try this new drug so you can be "normal". And when I used to read Reader's Digest, I swear there was an inane number of 2-3 page adds talking about the greatest miracle drug.

**Callisto** · 2012-02-02 18:56

Originally Posted by Xantavia

It always bothers me how much appears to spent on just advertising their experimental drugs. It seems like every commercial break is saying to try this new drug so you can be "normal". And when I used to read Reader's Digest, I swear there was an inane number of 2-3 page adds talking about the greatest miracle drug.

Nothing will top the one trying to get people to seek relief from restless leg syndrome by taking a drug that potentially swaps it for explosive diarrhea.

**Correction** · 2012-02-02 19:17

Originally Posted by Callisto

Nothing will top the one trying to get people to seek relief from restless leg syndrome by taking a drug that potentially swaps it for explosive diarrhea.

And compulsive gambling!

**Elvis** · 2012-02-02 19:26

you guys are all rabid anti-ipadites!

**BaneTheBrawler** · 2012-02-02 19:44

I like how people just assume that these sick people have jobs/money/TVs/houses. Odds are, if you're sick enough to need these expensive ass drugs, you probably can't work a full-time shift. If you're lucky, you might be able to work a part time shift. Many can't, myself included. I could get a normal job, but I'd lose it. My health just isn't predictable enough to commit to a shift. It changes from one hour to the next. I'm extremely lucky, though. I live a mere 20 miles from a world-class hospital. My disease is barely under control, just enough to where I can hold a job as the janitor for my church (no benefits, minimal pay, but its work). And most importantly my Dad makes -just- enough money, and has health insurance, to cover me and still lead a moderate middle-class lifestyle. Without my parents' assistance, I would be either dead or homeless and so far in debt I might as well be dead.

**archibaldcrane** · 2012-02-02 20:12

Originally Posted by Callisto

I don't know exactly how much cost goes into pharmaceutical research, but the whole medical system cost structure has to be fucked up. I'm currently paying off $9k in medical bills that are the result of a 3 mile ambulance trip, one night's stay in a hospital with 5 doses of Dilaudid, and 3 visits to an eye doctor.

You got off easy. I drove myself to an urgent care center because I had food poisoning so bad I couldn't keep any liquids in for 18 hours (and was getting really dehydrated). They took one look at me, said "you need an IV" - I said "I know" - they said (even though I called ahead) "we don't do IVs, you need to go to the ER". So I drove to the ER, waited 90 minutes to get a bed where they gave me three liters of saltwater and an anti-nausea med (that I didn't need and said so), and was released.

3 hours at the hospital for 3 bags of saltwater - $7800 bill. No ambulance rides, basically self-diagnosed.

Demosthenes11 · 2012-02-02 20:46

Originally Posted by archibaldcrane

You got off easy. I drove myself to an urgent care center because I had food poisoning so bad I couldn't keep any liquids in for 18 hours (and was getting really dehydrated). They took one look at me, said "you need an IV" - I said "I know" - they said (even though I called ahead) "we don't do IVs, you need to go to the ER". So I drove to the ER, waited 90 minutes to get a bed where they gave me three liters of saltwater and an anti-nausea med (that I didn't need and said so), and was released.

3 hours at the hospital for 3 bags of saltwater - $7800 bill. No ambulance rides, basically self-diagnosed.

Oh my god lol that's terrible

**archibaldcrane** · 2012-02-02 20:52

Originally Posted by Demosthenes11

Oh my god lol that's terrible

Don't worry bro, I hid some assets, filed for "charity care" and ended up paying $0. Even with my insurance I would've had to pay $3300, fuck that.

**Headspace** · 2012-02-02 20:59

Originally Posted by archibaldcrane

Don't worry bro, I hid some assets, filed for "charity care" and ended up paying $0. Even with my insurance I would've had to pay $3300, fuck that.

My god, that's 6.6 iPads.

Maybe you shouldn't be buying so many iPads.

**Churchill** · 2012-02-02 22:25

Originally Posted by Talint

I am unequivocally in favor of banishing all health insurance companies in favor of socialized medicine, and federalizing every doctor who practices in the United States.

Come at me, bro.

I am pretty sure my gf would move her and I to another country almost immediately.

**Churchill** · 2012-02-02 22:26

Originally Posted by archibaldcrane

Don't worry bro, I hid some assets, filed for "charity care" and ended up paying $0. Even with my insurance I would've had to pay $3300, fuck that.

lol @ not giving your own IVs

**Ksandra** · 2012-02-02 22:39

Originally Posted by Churchill

I am pretty sure my gf would move her and I to another country almost immediately.

I am pretty sure your gf and you will end up in Antarctica by the time you're 50 if you keep trying to get away from socialized medicine.

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