The State of Maine and Mail-Order Drugs.

I AM surprised that that senator that claimed to be FOR maines actions LIED!!!!!! You CAN'T compare other countries to the US because there are TWO main complaints:

1. FDA requirements!
2. PATENTS!

Although I AGREE that patents play a PART in US prices, they must be a relatively SMALL part because they affect MANY countries, INCLUDING CANADA, the UK, Australia, etc... Outside of a relative few countries, like China, they DO play a part! And there IS an effect in those countries, but it is minor. Of course, the US is probably more likely to have related law suits.

The FDA affects only ONE country on this ENTIRE PLANET, and that is the US! It can cost BILLIONS!! And there may be regulations affecting every PORTION of a drug! I will follow this message by a rant that shows how LUDICROUS this gets! But other countries may insist that they don't pay for the FDA charges, and they may not have the crazy testing requirements, and so those BILLIONS don't have to be amortized over all the pills sold. There are also crazy taxes. Did YOU know that they recently released a 2%+ tax on ALL medical supplies, supposedly to REDUCE costs!?!?!? WHAT country does that besides the US? There is ALSO a new $5.25 "reinsurance fee" added to supposedly REDUCE insurance costs! And 25% is taken to place in the treasury! It isn't used for the insurance!

Anyway, in that video, you hear a LOT of reference to the FDA and the FDAs ACT!

Steve

OK, now for my rant! I have to take a drug. BTW the BRAND NAME one costs several times what the generic does, but you can bet that canada and the like have the SAME problem. THEY had the patent, which has expired, and THEY paid for the FDA, etc....

Massachusetts, in "Romney care" actually OUTLAWED the prescription of the name brand when a generic is available. That was one way THEY cut back on costs. Anyway, I STILL have to get tested EVERY MONTH!!!!!!!!

I FINALLY, though I had to STRUGGLE to get it even approved, got ANOTHER testing device so I can test MYSELF! My cost SHOULD be about $7/month for supplies on a purchased tester.

I purchased a previous tester but they conspired to make all obsolete, and forced all to buy NEW testers. The "LAW" requires that you must have a DOCTORS prescription authorizing the purchase of a particular meter from a particular company. So the change left me with NO meter.

So NOW, I have to LEASE one for over $100/month. Since they could NOT justify the meter or price, I must test every WEEK! At least they include the test strips. OK, my $7/month just shot up to over $100/month, and I am using about 4 times as many supplies. Clear so far?

My CURRENT doctor wants me tested at a particular hospital department. Since they were closed for the weekend, and I had a standing order, I had the SAME hospital do it, according to the order. It may have cost over $50. They wanted me to do this last week, but next week they want me to go down to get my blood tested.

It is literally a little blood test akin to a diabetic test. It will take less than 2 minutes TOTAL! Sounds simple, huh? Well, I am over 300 miles away in another state. It will take about 12hours and cost about $100 for that 2 minute test that I could have done on the other side of the globe and called in. But THAT is not what THEY want!

So my little $84/yearly cost has gone to over $1800/year, and that does NOT include the drug! I believe the drug costs about another $420/year.

And the people that I THINK are native english speakers there do NOT understand statements like "I am in another STATE","I am in illinois!","It will take me 12 hours","I can't make a day trip since it means a day off work, and 12 hours on the road, and I could end up DEAD!","If I could even get a flight it would take me X hours and likely cost over $2000!","NO, I have NOT moved!!!!!!!!!!! I have been doing this for 14 YEARS!"!

That LAST statement is ASTOUNDING! I emphasize it to EVERYONE from day one, and they keep asking me! I told the first person that told me what I had to do that I will NOT quit my job! They said "I'm not asking you to!", and I said "YOU JUST DID!"!

SERIOUSLY, what does it take to get this to work? I did it TWICE for over 2 years, each time, no problem, calling in the numbers. But trying to get some of these people to realize that some people take this drug and WORK, and some even TRAVEL, just doesn't seem to soak in!

Steve