This is going to be pretty long but I'll break it up for you. I am having such a hard time wrapping my head around what is happening to our medical insurance. There seems to be a loophole that anytime something of great importance comes about, the loophole is found thus rendering it void and causing the insurance companies to have a field day at the expense of those who are ill. Ok, here's the article:
http://news.yahoo.com/study-insurers-may-using-drug-costs-discriminate-221532853.html
Hi Frustrated,
Those amounts are ridiculous, if I lived in the USA - I would be totally broke!
We have the National Health System here which is free, but at the moment very short staffed and overrun by the Gov't cutbacks! You can pay privately, but that costs a lot of money, and this is normally paid for by companies you work for.
If you look at my case, and take just one cheap example let's say Paracetamol (can be purchased over the counter). These cost nearly £1.00 if I got them from the local shops for a pack of 16, if I buy them from the local Superstore its about 32p, that in itself is a saving of 68p for the same amount. But because I am on 480 of them per month, I get them directly on prescription, and because I am Epileptic which is an ongoing disorder I have a 5 year exemption card, so in other words I do not pay anything for them. Paracetamol is probably the cheapest drug I take. You could have a private doctor, but I am unsure if the same applies to prescription drugs. The only difference if you buy Paracetamol or Ibuprofen (both are painkillers and can be alternated to relieve pain better) is that you can only buy 2 boxes at anyone time. To some people this may sound stupid, but if you have suicidal tendencies then the chances of over dosing becomes slimmer. Being prescribed by your own doctor, takes this in to account, therefore they are normally trusted if you are not in any way a depressed state.
My wife collects my medications, but due to the amount needed per day and a month - people stare at her collecting them, because most people have maybe 1-3 medications at most and they are dispensed in a paper bag, in my case I have to sign a release form for Class 'A' Drugs, and what I do is collect them the following day after putting the prescription in to the pharmacy, because it's either wait for all of the medications to be counted then re-checked, before I even get them, then on most days I do not get all the medications at once, I would have to go back. The pharmacy itself no longer stocks Class 'A' Drugs because of burglaries, that happen - by drug abusers. This doesn't really bother me, because I make appointments to see my own doctor online, or arrange a callback or if I need a prescription all I have to do is tick the relevent boxes, and I am done. I can also authorize which pharmacy I want to pick them up from, but sometimes this differs, if we are out driving elsewhere.
In the UK, there is not many private companies, its mostly all NHS - which in most cases used to be better, until the dam Gov't made loads of cuts.
Regards,
Les.
As per other recent posts I have replaced the pasted article with a link to the original study report. If you have a specific article or item to discuss use a link to the original article and it will be approved if it does not breach the T&Cs.
Regards,
Alan
Okies, Alan, thank you 
Alan, where's that link you said you put in replace of my cut/paste article?
Hi Les ~
Real quick note, that's what I was saying, ObamaCare was set up to help people but that loophole upset the apple cart! I will be broke, I take 28 different meds! Help!!! eeeks!
geesh, I'm sorry Alan, I now see that link. Thank you for doing that for me 