Is Drug Company Greed Out of Control? - Why don't candidates talk about it? (Brown, Obama)

[Wartrace]

Originally Posted by Albert_The_Crocodile

How does that explain why Gilead's hepatitis C drug (harvoni) costs $1300 a pill in the United States and $12 a pill in India?

And why would I end up in Jail if I were to attempt to import these drugs to the States from India?

[Wartrace]

Health care spending is going to bankrupt us. Just look at Medicaid. Medicaid is a welfare program as opposed to medicare.

People often point to defense spending being such a large portion of the federal budget. Few realize that we spend almost as much on Medicaid as we do on defense.
Defense = 604 billion
Medicaid = 577 billion
Government Spending Details in $ billion: Federal State Local for 2016 - Charts

There are roughly 72,400,000 people on medicaid/chip.
Total Monthly Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment | The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
We are spending roughly 7,600 dollars per person in the program.

I hear people saying we need a "single payer" (government program). Do they realize it would cost at least 2,500,000,000,000 dollars if we use the medicaid number of 7,600 per person?

[Quick Enough]

Originally Posted by KRAMERCAT

I refilled my wife's prescriptions and the cash price from a couple of years ago went from about $30 to over $1,000. Thank God they were not life dependent drugs... not that the greedy CEOs care if you live or die. Bernie may have spoken out about this issue, but I doubt that Donald or Hillary would.

Is Drug Company Greed Out of Control? - The People's Pharmacy

"Is Drug Company Greed Out of Control?"

NO. Close thread.

[Hoonose]

Originally Posted by Wartrace

Health care spending is going to bankrupt us. Just look at Medicaid. Medicaid is a welfare program as opposed to medicare.

People often point to defense spending being such a large portion of the federal budget. Few realize that we spend almost as much on Medicaid as we do on defense.
Defense = 604 billion
Medicaid = 577 billion
Government Spending Details in $ billion: Federal State Local for 2016 - Charts

There are roughly 72,400,000 people on medicaid/chip.
Total Monthly Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment | The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
We are spending roughly 7,600 dollars per person in the program.

I hear people saying we need a "single payer" (government program). Do they realize it would cost at least 2,500,000,000,000 dollars if we use the medicaid number of 7,600 per person?

Medicare is welfare also. A typical beneficiary pays only and roughly 1/3 to 1/2 of their HC benefit costs.

[Hoonose]

Originally Posted by Wartrace

I hear people saying we need a "single payer" (government program). Do they realize it would cost at least 2,500,000,000,000 dollars if we use the medicaid number of 7,600 per person?

Covering more people means more money. But using the Medicaid numbers as a basis for the whole population is not a proper construct. We have many millions of people requiring next to no HC or less in any one year. And we have seniors who cost closer to $10K apiece. Suffice it to say the total number would be huge. But then again, we are already putting huge moneys in for premiums, copays and deductibles. And much of that money goes into overheads that don't necessarily provide the HC delivery itself.

[whogo]

Originally Posted by Albert_The_Crocodile

How does that explain why Gilead's hepatitis C drug (harvoni) costs $1300 a pill in the United States and $12 a pill in India?

Fixed versus variable costs of producing a drug. The fixed costs are outrageously high due to government.

[middle-aged mom]

Venture capitalists invest in R&D. They lose big money. They make big money.

Patents protect the investor.

Without the investment of capital, R&D dries up.

Guess big bad government could buy patents and pay for it by imposing higher taxes or borrowing.

[Jo48]

70% of the American Population takes one or more drugs. This includes all AGES. That is horrible. We are an over medicated society. Why do children, teens, young adults need to be taking drugs?????

"Ask your doctor if bla, bla, bla is RIGHT FOR YOU!" Sick. There MUST be something wrong with you that Big Pharm can solve your problems.

[KRAMERCAT]

Originally Posted by Quick Enough

"Is Drug Company Greed Out of Control?"

NO. Close thread.

Yes, leave it OPEN

[SeasonedNewbie]

Too busy lining their own pockets, that's why.