Thank god for out of country pharmacies

[AK47]

I don't think I've ever heard ANYONE with a difficult to diagnose condition, for which tests are expensive and rarely prescribed speak well of their doctors, health plan or the system in general.

Getting sick and trying to understand what is going on can be a lot of work. Dealing with incompetent or simply mediocre doctors is often unworkable.

Rest assured, however that insurance can not sustain the same level of care for all subscribers at the same time. Some people must be denied tests, procedures and medicine they think they need. This denial of service must be managed in an ethical way, and not just cutting off people that pay their premiums but develop conditions that are too expensive to provide care for.

What you say sounds good but is not workable in real life application kind of like communism.

I just find it funny I find two doctors on my own through friends and word of mouth and I have gotten more done in the last three months than I ever got done with two plus years at Kaiser and six doctors not including specialists like Urologists, Neurologists and Dermotologists. I would literally have to stroke out or go blind for some further "testing"

Heaven forbid if a new virus breaks out with a long incubation period and everyone had Kaiser. By the time they put 2 and 2 together we would all be dead.

I am now in the unfortunate position of having to stick with Kaiser since switching insurance companies I would be unable to get treatment for "pre-existing condition" since they did find issues with my liver and kidneys. This is not even factoring in my other symptoms and diagnosis I have received.

I have heard nothing but good things about AETNA. I wish I had gotten that insurance I would be in alot better health right now.

[rjohnstone]

I am now in the unfortunate position of having to stick with Kaiser since switching insurance companies I would be unable to get treatment for "pre-existing condition" since they did find issues with my liver and kidneys. This is not even factoring in my other symptoms and diagnosis I have received.

I have heard nothing but good things about AETNA. I wish I had gotten that insurance I would be in alot better health right now.

Are you paying for your insurance out of pocket or is it through your job?
If it's through your job and they have another insurance company as an option, the "pre-existing condition" rules typically don't apply.

I have Aetna through my current employer, but I also have the choice of Cigna or United Health Care as well.
If I decide to switch in the upcoming open enrollment period, the new provider cannot deny treatment for a "pre-existing condition" as most large group enrollement plans don't exlcude pre-existing conditions.
If I were to get private health insurance and pay out of pocket, I would be screwed for sure.

And yes, Aetna is great. Little pricier than most, but I never have to fight over treatment. It just gets done.
Medco (Rx provider) on the other hand, are a bunch of penny pinching dicks.
If a generic exists for a drug, they will only pay for the generic.
Never mind the fact that soem generics are proven to be not as effective as the real deal.
I take Synthroid for my Thyroid and I have tried the generics.... they suck.
They give me nasty headaches and I have to take higher doses to get the same effect.
I pay full price to get the brand name version as even my Endo agrees that the generic was not working properly for me.
Medco refused to even cover up to the amount the generic would have cost.
My only saving grace is that brand name Synthroid is only $18 per month.

[phill_up]

CEO: oO Maybe a pedicure, manicure, glass of wine and a massage will make me feel better Oo.
<pulls cord to Golden Parachute>

[AK47]

Are you paying for your insurance out of pocket or is it through your job?
If it's through your job and they have another insurance company as an option, the "pre-existing condition" rules typically don't apply.

I have Aetna through my current employer, but I also have the choice of Cigna or United Health Care as well.
If I decide to switch in the upcoming open enrollment period, the new provider cannot deny treatment for a "pre-existing condition" as most large group enrollement plans don't exlcude pre-existing conditions.
If I were to get private health insurance and pay out of pocket, I would be screwed for sure.

And yes, Aetna is great. Little pricier than most, but I never have to fight over treatment. It just gets done.
Medco (Rx provider) on the other hand, are a bunch of penny pinching dicks.
If a generic exists for a drug, they will only pay for the generic.
Never mind the fact that soem generics are proven to be not as effective as the real deal.
I take Synthroid for my Thyroid and I have tried the generics.... they suck.
They give me nasty headaches and I have to take higher doses to get the same effect.
I pay full price to get the brand name version as even my Endo agrees that the generic was not working properly for me.
Medco refused to even cover up to the amount the generic would have cost.
My only saving grace is that brand name Synthroid is only $18 per month.

I am self employed and pay for Kaiser out of pocket so I am screwed. The good thing is I work mostly from home otherwise I would have lost my job already due to my recurring health issues.

Generics by law have to be only 70% as effective or as potent as Brand name. Since its not a controlled substance have you looked into ordering the brand name through a on line Pharmacy? I think there are a few in Canada that will ship since you have a script.

[dd3keegs]

Yeah , I'm a U.S. Pharmacist. Our prices are out there. The big drug companies argument is that it can take about 400 Million Bucks to get a drug to market. They may have a 12 drugs in Clinical Trial...but only 4 make it to market. And of the ones that make it, they are lucky to get a big hit like Zantac, Paxil or Oxycontin. I think Zantac made hundreds of millions in the first year. Never mind there lobbyists, commercials and drug reps(who will be limited on how they smooze the Doctors to push thier meds). The government is "concerned" about Drug Reps smoozing the docs, so they will be limited... so the Power players on "the Hill" can get more from lobbyists. Government control over standardized medicine (made available to everyone) has worked in places like Canada and the UK. However, funds are limited by government oversight so cutting edge technology (and availablity) gets out in limited quantites. Yeah everyone gets Healthcare in Canada, but you may be waiting for that Heart Surgery for 18 months. So, they come to America to get the surgery done ASAP. I'm all for everyone getting Healthcare...but let the US Government get hold of how you get your medical attention and...I don't know? Scary? Someone has to find Healthacre affordable to everyone in a free market system.

[livebiz]

Making BS "pre-existing condition" exemptions illegal.

Just curious, if you could buy insurance after you develop a "condition" why would you pay for insurance beforehand? Group plans tend not to have this clause because they have an established pool and you are only able to enroll once a year.

[rjohnstone]

Just curious, if you could buy insurance after you develop a "condition" why would you pay for insurance beforehand? Group plans tend not to have this clause because they have an established pool and you are only able to enroll once a year.

Interesting scenario, but that's not how it happens to most people.
Most go from a group plan to an individual (say you lose your job or go self employed).
Anything you were being treated for on your previous group plan is typically exempted from coverage on your new individual one.
That is complete BS.

[Ben...]

Yeah everyone gets Healthcare in Canada, but you may be waiting for that Heart Surgery for 18 months. So, they come to America to get the surgery done ASAP. I'm all for everyone getting Healthcare...but let the US Government get hold of how you get your medical attention and...I don't know? Scary? Someone has to find Healthacre affordable to everyone in a free market system.

Apparently there are starting to be a few private clinics here for people who are willing to pay out of pocket(I.E: Ridiculously rich people who don't want to wait). I know people who have gone to the US to get surgery so you're definitely right on that part.

[Frigo89]

I have had good luck with Canada's system. everything has been treated well, and of course for free, so that just makes it better! lol

my Dad actually got a couple surgeries in the past couple years for his elbows (he can't put his arms straight, they never quite make it hahaha), and they got him in pretty damn quick, and that was for something that was not by any means life or death, I'd imagine that doctors have to put people who's lives are at risk first.

not to mention, that at birth, I was pretty much toasted, and they kept me at the hospital until I was healthy, they had to do some cleaning, and I wound up healthy, maybe a little bit nuts, but ok.

basically, so far, I have had no problems with Canada's health care system, and I haven't heard of anyone I know having a bitchy time with them.

I am more than happy to pay my taxes for other people to get heatlthy when I don't need the care, just as long as they help me out when I need the same help

[joelayres]

Yeah , I'm a U.S. Pharmacist. Our prices are out there.

Perhaps you can shed some light on why a drug that costs $6.60 per pill in the US can be purchased for 92 cents per pill from India - same brand name, same mg dosage.

[rjohnstone]

Perhaps you can shed some light on why a drug that costs $6.60 per pill in the US can be purchased for 92 cents per pill from India - same brand name, same mg dosage.

The drug manufacturers set the price, not the pharmacies.
That is of course unless you are in a hospital in which case the hospital jacks the price up another 500% for the convenience of having a nurse hand it to you.

Be wary of drugs purchased from Asian markets as many are counterfeit.
They look legit right down to the packaging, but many tests have shown them to be nothing more than filler or an extremely diluted dose.

[joelayres]

Be wary of drugs purchased from Asian markets as many are counterfeit.
They look legit right down to the packaging, but many tests have shown them to be nothing more than filler or an extremely diluted dose.

In my case, the drug is Geodon, which is used to treat Bipolar Disorder. If it were diluted or filler, I would know immediately since my Wife would be bonkers within 3 days. The drugs from India are indeed equal to the over priced drugs from the US.

More people need to get smart and start obtaining their prescriptions from these sources. If these drugs can be sold in other countries at these prices, it proves that the US market is being gouged by the parmaceutical companies.

[rjohnstone]

If these drugs can be sold in other countries at these prices, it proves that the US market is being gouged by the parmaceutical companies.

I have no doubt about that.
The pharmaceutical companies are trying to recover all the R&D costs up front instead of over a period of a few years.
Remember, the drug companies get a 5 or 7 year lock on any new drug before a generic version is allowed to be produced.
Once a generic is available, they are forced to reduce the price.
They know the US market will pay whatever they set the price at if the drug is only available for them. So we are at their mercy.

[AK47]

Just an update.

I tested positive for Lyme and am getting treated through my out of pocket expensence non Kaiser doctor. My prognosis looks good since I am so young that I may have caught soon enough to get treated and have a almost full recovery.

Second thing is I am in contact with an attorney today that specializes in suing Kaiser to go after Kaiser by California law I am entitled to 250,000 dollars. I can take them to arbitration but cant get them in court. The attorney thinks I have a good case and will only collect if I do.

So I stand by my statement Fuck Kaiser and Fuck Pre Exisiting conditions.

Also be careful buying any pain killers or narcotics overseas it is a felony.

[rjohnstone]

Glad to hear you've been properly diagnosed.
I hope you are able to make the cheap bastards pay.