Plan to Limit Some Drugs in Medicare Is Criticized

[Yo_Mama]

84. Yes, and they are talking about a very small price difference

But even for the non-generic hypertension meds, the savings from appropriate, effective medicine tailored to the individual patient are so huge versus non-effective therapy that this type of cost analysis is ridiculous. The theory behind this measure is that all patients will have equivalent efficacy on either drug, and this is just not true.

At most we are talking about price differences under a dollar a day for the accupril/lisinopril. If there is a patient who does much better with the more expensive prescription, the long term costs overwhelm the short-term savings. So you saved $89 dollars, but the patient is skipping doses due to bad reactions, and lands in the hospital or suffers organ damage!

Plus, when you have a patient with multiple conditions on multiple prescriptions, the interactions can force a change.

And then there is an issue of humanity, not just dollars. There is human suffering involved here.

This is the type of cost-saving measure thought up by soulless bureaucrats who may have an MD but who do not in fact treat patients!