RP Listener Forum - Radio Paradise

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 - 5:30pm

RASPUTIN wrote:

Over the years we've lost ground, like everybody, with co-pays. Some of my co-pays are 30 to 50 bucks now and I still feel lucky. The whole deal sucks though. The meds are the product of an unhealthy lifestyle.

That's another thing they're gonna have to explain to me tomorrow when I call: why did I have to pay $33 for this shit? The co-pay on 'scrips is $7.50.

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 - 5:30pm

Manbird wrote:

and there you were begging me to bring you some pie...

I don't want to tip toe in to the grave, I wanna burn in fill throttle.

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 - 5:25pm

RASPUTIN wrote:

Over the years we've lost ground, like everybody, with co-pays. Some of my co-pays are 30 to 50 bucks now and I still feel lucky. The whole deal sucks though. The meds are the product of an unhealthy lifestyle.

and there you were begging me to bring you some pie...

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 - 5:23pm

Manbird wrote:

I pay cash for my heart and thyroid meds (when I can afford them) - they're 30 and 40 bucks each with a 10% AAA discount and some sort of subsidy from the state (which was recently reduced by $5). I guess I'm lucky that they don't cost more.

Over the years we've lost ground, like everybody, with co-pays. Some of my co-pays are 30 to 50 bucks now and I still feel lucky. The whole deal sucks though. The meds are the product of an unhealthy lifestyle.

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 - 5:21pm

oldslabsides wrote:

Went to the doc today and he changed my statin drug. Went to the pharmacy to fill 'scrip. Turns out my insurance (United Health Care) will not pay for a generic, even tho one is available. Wonder how much of a kickback they're getting from the pharmaceutical company that makes the stuff. What a racket.

Gah.

I think I mentioned this before - if I get my "make sure she doesn't kill anyone" drug through the insurance company, 3 months costs me $25 (don't remember what they're covering). If I pay out of pocket at the grocery store, it costs me $10 for three months. Both generic. That's a serious wtf too.

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 - 5:18pm

oldslabsides wrote:

Went to the doc today and he changed my statin drug. Went to the pharmacy to fill 'scrip. Turns out my insurance (United Health Care) will not pay for a generic, even tho one is available. Wonder how much of a kickback they're getting from the pharmaceutical company that makes the stuff. What a racket.

Aetna demands we use generic if available.Even if the script is prescribe as written.

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 - 5:11pm

RASPUTIN wrote:

We were at the emergency room and there is a Kroger (grocery store) pharmacy. I picked up Sue's script for Tylenol 3's, the generics and didn't have the prescription card with me so it cost me 13 bucks instead of 4. Not a big deal but triple what it would have been. I'd have spent 5 bucks in gas going home and then to the local pharmacy.

I pay cash for my heart and thyroid meds (when I can afford them) - they're 30 and 40 bucks each with a 10% AAA discount and some sort of subsidy from the state (which was recently reduced by $5). I guess I'm lucky that they don't cost more.

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 - 5:01pm

Manbird wrote:

I'll take that as a "no".

We were at the emergency room and there is a Kroger (grocery store) pharmacy. I picked up Sue's script for Tylenol 3's, the generics and didn't have the prescription card with me so it cost me 13 bucks instead of 4. Not a big deal but triple what it would have been. I'd have spent 5 bucks in gas going home and then to the local pharmacy.

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 - 4:54pm

oldslabsides wrote:

Unfortunately, no.

I'll take that as a "no".

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 - 4:50pm

Manbird wrote:

Is it cheaper to pay cash for a generic than to use your insurance? Use your AAA discount at the pharmacy and buy it yourself. Fuck em.

Unfortunately, no.

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 - 4:49pm

oldslabsides wrote:

Went to the doc today and he changed my statin drug. Went to the pharmacy to fill 'scrip. Turns out my insurance (United Health Care) will not pay for a generic, even tho one is available. Wonder how much of a kickback they're getting from the pharmaceutical company that makes the stuff. What a racket.

Is it cheaper to pay cash for a generic than to use your insurance? Use your AAA discount at the pharmacy and buy it yourself. Fuck em.

Posted: Feb 20, 2012 - 4:46pm

Went to the doc today and he changed my statin drug. Went to the pharmacy to fill 'scrip. Turns out my insurance (United Health Care) will not pay for a generic, even tho one is available. Wonder how much of a kickback they're getting from the pharmaceutical company that makes the stuff. What a racket.

Posted: Feb 3, 2012 - 9:16pm

The Health Care Racket
by Ralph Nader
CounterPunch
February 2, 2012

Looking at millions of individual bills that makeup the 2.7 trillion dollars of annual health care costs opens a gigantic window on the massive waste, redundancy, profiteering, fraud and sometimes criminal over-billing...

Posted: Jan 6, 2012 - 9:20am

kurtster wrote:

Yes in Oakland, Ca.

Hasn't been here in awhile.

He would be a good source for information for Bokey.

Posted: Jan 6, 2012 - 9:19am

steeler wrote:

It is one of the choices we have; I have not used it. A colleague has used it for some time and is pleased wtih it - but he has not had many health problems.

For some reason, I am thinking that dmax works for KP?

Yes in Oakland, Ca.

Hasn't been here in awhile.

Posted: Jan 6, 2012 - 9:17am

bokey wrote:

Anyone have Kaiser-Permanente or have any good/bad/horror stories about them?I really have to get insurance this year.

It is one of the choices we have; I have not used it. A colleague has used it for some time and is pleased wtih it - but he has not had many health problems.

For some reason, I am thinking that dmax works for KP?

Posted: Jan 6, 2012 - 8:57am

kurtster wrote:

Had KP 30 years ago, it worked ok then. Had it 6 years ago again, not so good. I am convinced that if I had it when I got ill, I would not be here today. My care has exceeded $2 mil already, which was the lifetime cap back then, not to mention the downside of dealing with gatekeepers in an HMO scenario.

Prolly ok for younger folk under say 30.

Knowing what I know now, I would never put my care in the hands of an HMO. HMO's are exempt from many malpractice laws, especially in the area of wrong diagnosis.

I just had a friend pass from a misdiagnosed cancer dealing with an HMO. He had no recourse to sue. The details aren't important. And even if the patient does get standing in a lawsuit, the suit ends when the patient dies. The survivors have no standing after death in the case of HMO's.

I'm in a PPO plan through Medicare and had a PPO through my employer when I got sick. I was and am still able to go to any doctor I would like to, without a referal. It allows me to keep matters in my own hands. HMO's keep your hands tied. You cannot move up the ladder without a referal, hence the term gatekeeper.

The trend these days does seem to be away from the "single site" managed care model of KP and towards PPO (Preferred Provider Organizations) which, as you point out, give you some flexibility in who your care provider is while retaining the supposed cost-saving payment and reimbursement architecture of an HMO.

Posted: Jan 6, 2012 - 8:00am

bokey wrote:

Anyone have Kaiser-Permanente or have any good/bad/horror stories about them?I really have to get insurance this year.

Had KP 30 years ago, it worked ok then. Had it 6 years ago again, not so good. I am convinced that if I had it when I got ill, I would not be here today. My care has exceeded $2 mil already, which was the lifetime cap back then, not to mention the downside of dealing with gatekeepers in an HMO scenario.

Prolly ok for younger folk under say 30.

Knowing what I know now, I would never put my care in the hands of an HMO. HMO's are exempt from many malpractice laws, especially in the area of wrong diagnosis.

I just had a friend pass from a misdiagnosed cancer dealing with an HMO. He had no recourse to sue. The details aren't important. And even if the patient does get standing in a lawsuit, the suit ends when the patient dies. The survivors have no standing after death in the case of HMO's.

I'm in a PPO plan through Medicare and had a PPO through my employer when I got sick. I was and am still able to go to any doctor I would like to, without a referal. It allows me to keep matters in my own hands. HMO's keep your hands tied. You cannot move up the ladder without a referal, hence the term gatekeeper.

Posted: Jan 6, 2012 - 6:11am

11 years ago, when he was 16, Rocky became a quadrapalegic playing in a high school football game. He died yesterday, after using up his $5 million insurance coverage that provided round the clock care.
What a conundrum we have created. We can keep people alive indefinitely - as long as they can pay for it.

Posted: Jan 4, 2012 - 1:54pm

bokey wrote:

Anyone have Kaiser-Permanente or have any good/bad/horror stories about them?I really have to get insurance this year.

Used them 20 years ago. Great care, very expensive at the time.