Do not allow pharma and device companies to inflate the cost of their products they sell to Americans while selling the same products for much lower costs to foreign government health systems. Require pharma and medical device companies to offer the US patients their products at the same (or lower price) that it is sold elsewhere. If we continue to allow these companies to charge higher prices only for Americans and lower prices to foreign countries then the US is essentially subsidizing the whole world’s healthcare. The US government already contributes tax payer money to a tremendous amount of clinical research (much of it is not successful) but when it is successful the company stands to profit billions world wide for research that was largely funded by American tax dollars. Make this system fair. Americans should get the the lowest price that is offered.
How about making other countries pay more?
That’s essentially what I am saying. The price needs to be fair across the board. Company’s can sell to other countries and make a small profit because they are consistently allowed to charge Americans substantially more. I think this may be driven by deep-seated corruption since pharma has so many lobbyist and contributes substantially to campaigns and whatever else the politicians desire.
But if we pay what they do, there’s less incentive to create new drugs due to low (or no) profit.
If we pay less and they pay what we at the higher rate, its a financial wash for them.
You aren’t understanding. Do you really think that US citizens must fully subsidize healthcare costs for the rest of the world? Because that is what is happening due to corruption of our politicians. There is a GROSS amount of profit in drugs and medical device industry. I’m not even suggesting that they must make less profit but that a disproportionate amount of profit should not come from Americans. The other countries need to pay their fair share-or just the same price. Hundreds of billions of tax dollars go toward drug research, which ultimately benefits the pharma/device industry. We already pay for the creation/discovery of most new drugs. I’m not saying that drug companies do not take some risk or don’t deserve profit but it is wrong to get the benefit of a tax funded discovery and then go and sell it to the rest of the world for cheap and make American’s pay through the nose-and then donate huge amounts of money to nearly every politician. Americans shouldn’t be such a doormat. I don’t even know if we need for profit drug companies as it seems suitable for a non-profit model. It would probably be better that way. Also, plenty of industries with a MUCH lower profit margin than pharma and device thrive with no threat of a loss of incentive.
That’s what I’m saying.
Refuse to sell elsewhere unless they pay more.
I went to the ER for severe back spasms. I got checked in, they put me on IV did a urinalysis and a CT Scan. All was normal. After being on IV for 30 mins my spasms disappeared and googled why. Turned out I was dehydrated. After 4 hours I was released with no explanation or solution and a prescription for pain meds. A few weeks later I received my bill from my insurace. (See pic) My total cost was $39,550. My portion to pay is $3,297. The care I received is not even worth my portion. Only in America!
