Organizing for America | Lisa Beyer's Blog: A simple step to address pharmaceutical costs

A simple step to address pharmaceutical costs

By Lisa Beyer - Sep 15th, 2007 at 4:25 am EDT

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Tags: Healthcare crisis, insurance, Medicaid, prescription drugs, Sicko

What are your thoughts on this opinion?

The Hill: A Simple Step To Address Pharmaceutical Costs, By Ted Slafsky, September 11, 2007

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Thank you,

Lisa Beyer

Precinct Deputy Captain in Las Vegas Precinct 6475

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Re: Slafsky's HILL Op-Ed | Report to Admin

By Ex GOP for Obama Sep 15th 2007 at 9:57 am EDT

Lisa,
I respectfully do not agree entirely with Slafsky's proposal. His numbers such as the following:

• One-fourth of adults 19 to 64 years old lack prescription drug insurance. Those without drug coverage are almost twice as likely not to fill a prescription due to cost.

• Spending in the U.S. for prescription drugs was $201 billion in 2005, almost five times more than the $40 billion spent in 1990.

• The number of prescriptions purchased increased 71 percent over the past decade compared to the U.S. population growth of 9 percent.

Lead me to ask more questions than to just settle for the statistics. For example, of the 25% without insurance, how many had insurance at one time, lost it, and then got it back in the future?

Spending has increased because of the fact that big pharma puts more back into R&D then any other industry and is forced by Europe, Asia, etc. to accept price controls. This makes the burden disproportionately assumed by the US. That is indeed unfair.

The number of prescriptions has risen astronomically, yet what Slafsky fails to mention is that the survival rate from many diseases has dropped precipitously due largely in part from better medicines and procedures (heart attacks, strokes, certain cancers, etc.) More people are surviving these illnesses and thus need more medicines.

The incredible point is that only 10% of the healthcare dollar in the US is devoted to drugs. Unfortunately for big pharma, it is the 10% of the iceberg that everyone sees and pays attention too.

The solution...I wish I had it. I do feel that it lies in a synergy between big pharma, good open minded elected leaders and even "SICKO's" antaganist...health insurers. Every industry, group, organization, etc. has horrible examples of decision making, governance, and self centered acts. Big pharma is definitely a whipping post for many people, yet they are the most philanthropic industry and companies in the US. We need to look at the other side of the coin and ask more questions and get someone who is open minded like Barack Obama elected who can look at this issue in a balanced manner. Moore and those who only see bad in big business don't come to the table with viable solutions. Dialogue, solution oriented and balanced leadership is why I am supporting Senator Obama. All the Best!!

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