We Pay a Lot for Meds

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When compared to other countries, we pay a heck of a lot more money for them.  An article that first appeared in the WSJ is linked here and compares our Medicare system to Norway and other counties. Why this disparity exists isn’t  simple, though.

The reasons the U.S. pays more are rooted in philosophical and practical differences in the way its health system provides benefits, in the drug industry’s political clout and in many Americans’ deep aversion to the notion of rationing.

Americans are different.  They get crazy about the term “rationing” so we fight against it.  The funny thing is that it does nothing for the people doing the fighting.  It may get the government to being open to giving granny a new cancer drug to extend her life a week but the insurance companies don’t give a crap.  They can just say no to anything and they do all the time.  They ration everyday. I have already mentioned this about my son being denied ALL medications for his ulcerative colitis.

Yes, our country is paying too much for medications but the insurance companies have this system all figured out.  Again. I am sure they are getting great deals on drugs and they dole them out sparingly.  Too bad this article doesn’t mention this.