Colorado Caps Insulin Cost

[hollohas]

I don't know how this cost will be eaten up front: pharmacy, pharma company, health insurer, providers? Ultimately will be all payers and we'll all pay more.

Exactly. Insurance premiums will go up for all of us...again. Only pay $100 for insulin, but everyone pays an extra $100/month in premiums. Because the insulin is NOT being given away for free once you hit $100. Everyone is still getting paid one way or another.

[Justin]

I haven't read the bill, but in the OP's post you guys are missing the obvious.
. That doesn't sound like it price fixes insulin.

You want to know the net effect of this? Pharma jacks prices up because they get guaranteed payment. It's why Pharma bro jacked up the epi pen cost. Insurance is obligated to pay it, they get rich, insurance spreads the cost around everyone, which is part of why we all pay 200 to 300% more for insurance in the last five years. If the quotation is correct, this won't have any effect at all on supply to diabetics, only to our continually skyrocketing premiums. Just wait though, they have a solution for that too.

Martin Shkrelli, the "pharma bro" didn't have anything to do with the Epi Pen fiasco.

There were, however, some interesting connections between the FDA's disapproval of a competing epi pen-type system, the approval of a cost hike in the actual epi pens, and a certain democratic senator's daughter who happened to work for the company that makes epi pens.

[BladesNBarrels]

Martin Shkrelli, the "pharma bro" didn't have anything to do with the Epi Pen fiasco.

There were, however, some interesting connections between the FDA's disapproval of a competing epi pen-type system, the approval of a cost hike in the actual epi pens, and a certain democratic senator's daughter who happened to work for the company that makes epi pens.

Didn't there used to be a tv show on PBS that revealed themes like that? Connections or something similar sounding in the title.

[Gman]

I was scanning the news and came across this little nugget:
Health paradox: New U.S. diabetes cases fall as obesity rises

NEW YORK — The number of new diabetes cases among U.S. adults keeps falling, even as obesity rates climb, and health officials aren't sure why.

New federal data released Tuesday found the number of new diabetes diagnoses fell to about 1.3 million in 2017, down from 1.7 million in 2009.

Earlier research had spotted a decline, and the new report shows it's been going on for close to a decade. But health officials are not celebrating.

"The bottom line is we don't know for sure what's driving these trends," said the lead author of the new report, Dr. Stephen Benoit of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among the possibilities: Changes in testing and getting people to improve their health before becoming diabetic.

Like many things in this world, the really 'smart' people already knew the answer, only to find out that they really didn't.

As to rising costs...



I've known doctors to stop taking insurance and going to a cash business to greatly reduce patient costs. When you cut out all of the reporting requirements, costs drop significantly.

[Skip]

I was scanning the news and came across this little nugget:
Health paradox: New U.S. diabetes cases fall as obesity rises

New federal data released Tuesday found the number of new diabetes diagnoses fell to about 1.3 million in 2017, down from 1.7 million in 2009.

That is interesting. I wonder if low-carb diets don't explain the delta? I have heard people have reversed their A1C numbers and dropped completely out of the pre-diabetic range just on Keto/Paleo/HFLC alone. I imagine a big part of this is just common sense cutting the crap; processed foods, sodas, etc...

Gov has been lying to people for 50+ years on what our diets should be. Even that 2,000/2,500 RDA label is dead wrong for most Americans.

And natural fats were never the problem, it's the processed carbs!

A major diet change is far better and cheaper than paying for all the diabetes meds.

I've known doctors to stop taking insurance and going to a cash business to greatly reduce patient costs. When you cut out all of the reporting requirements, costs drop significantly.

This is how I lost my PCP after the ACA. He went 100% concierge and I considered subscribing but the dollars didn't make sense for only have PCP services (on top of having to pay for insurance).

He is a brilliant Dr and I'm sure he's doing well.

[brutal]

That is interesting. I wonder if low-carb diets don't explain the delta? I have heard people have reversed their A1C numbers and dropped completely out of the pre-diabetic range just on Keto/Paleo/HFLC alone. I imagine a big part of this is just common sense cutting the crap; processed foods, sodas, etc...

Gov has been lying to people for 50+ years on what our diets should be. Even that 2,000/2,500 RDA label is dead wrong for most Americans.

And natural fats were never the problem, it's the processed carbs!

A major diet change is far better and cheaper than paying for all the diabetes meds.




This is how I lost my PCP after the ACA. He went 100% concierge and I considered subscribing but the dollars didn't make sense for only have PCP services (on top of having to pay for insurance).

He is a brilliant Dr and I'm sure he's doing well.

My PCP quit his private practice (was 2 docs in the office) and went to work for Kaiser citing costs due to ACA.

[Gman]

My PCP quit his private practice (was 2 docs in the office) and went to work for Kaiser citing costs due to ACA.

It may have also been related to patients on Medicare. I know a couple that quit practicing altogether. Some quit private practice because they had to be part of a 'full-service facility' in order to serve their patients on Medicare.

[Eric P]

My healthcare friends have said costs could be cut in at least half if the government red top and documentation was eliminated. Just imagine the unneccessary overhead a doctor needs today vs 100 years ago.

Before, an office could get away with a doctor, nurse and receptionist. Now you need multiple book keepers, a lawyers, ect just to make sure you can collect from the government and comply with piles of regulations.

But, that's the problem with federal regulators. I cant tell you have much further road funds could go if you eliminated all the bs regulations and programs imposed by FHWA.

The regs create jobs for irrelevant unnecessary accountants, beauracrats and lawyers to provide no value to the customer being served

[TFOGGER]

My dad just retired at 91, after 62 years of continuous private pediatric practice, in part because of the rising overhead costs.

[Skip]

My PCP quit his private practice (was 2 docs in the office) and went to work for Kaiser citing costs due to ACA.

And since Kaiser is a closed network you pretty much lost your Dr.

You and I must be liars because Obama promised this wouldn't happen!

My healthcare friends have said costs could be cut in at least half if the government red top and documentation was eliminated. Just imagine the unneccessary overhead a doctor needs today vs 100 years ago.

Before, an office could get away with a doctor, nurse and receptionist. Now you need multiple book keepers, a lawyers, ect just to make sure you can collect from the government and comply with piles of regulations.

But, that's the problem with federal regulators. I cant tell you have much further road funds could go if you eliminated all the bs regulations and programs imposed by FHWA.

The regs create jobs for irrelevant unnecessary accountants, beauracrats and lawyers to provide no value to the customer being served

No doubt! But it's the private practices as well. My wife can't even get a straight answer on what a procedure costs from specialists BEFORE WE GO. She'll even try to get the billing codes and the staff won't know which code a Dr will use or the insurance company can't give a straight answer depending on how the code is used.

Capping malpractice/liability to actual damages would help (lost income/earnings). Requiring up front payment would help. Preventing insurers from price fixing with providers would help (single price, how you pay is your business).