The President made a pretty big announcement today….all about how to save money….on 2nd Engines for Joint-Force Fighters….to doing away with 1960’s LORAN Flight Systems and the like. The President seems to think….there is a lot of garbage out there that doesn’t need Federal Assistance…including a UNESCO rep located in Paris. Cost savings are good things….no matter how small they may be:
“We’re also going to eliminate the subsidies we provide to the health insurance companies through Medicare, saving roughly $22 billion each year starting in 2012 as part of a broader effort to reduce health care costs – essential to putting our nation on a secure fiscal footing.”
Along with the list of items that the President has highlighted, we might add one that is really rather important: “selected doctor prescriptions”.
We must note that “Brand Prescriptions” are costing Insurance Companies, Patients and the Economy at large……a major portion of the cost of Healthcare in the United States. A variety of US and many International Drug companies have been milking the system for many years. They come up with similar products and add water…..and then charge up another “Patent item”…which they can charge anything that they want for. They use “Doctors” as their B-Girls….to sell products that are terribly overpriced. The drug companies even create “Generic Alternatives” which either have side effects or are not as effective as “Brand items”. If not, they use “Surrogate” shell Corporations that can’t be tracked back to them. The Drug Business…is a dirty business.
Major name Drug manufacturers offer doctors “kick-backs” for every prescription written, free samples which the doctor can then charge for as part of his service package or better yet…….unrelated drugs in their catalog which can be bought at wholesale and prescribed in the office. These are definitely not what we consider: “Best Practices”….when it comes to providing sick people that utilize HMO’s, Medicare or other providers that allow this type of conduct.
Years ago, a local hospital we had to go to….wound up triple billing our Insurance Company. When the same hospital tried to get 20% from us for all three bills….we challenged them. The hospital Administration and Billing was shocked that we would recoil from their triple billing Standard Operating Procedure. When we called our Insurance Provider…..the agent just took a deep breath and said: “Yes, we know….that is THE SYSTEM..so that illegal immigrants and others without healthcare will be provided for!”
Well, the times have changed. We need a major rehab of our Healthcare System in this country. Let us start by cleaning up the Hospital Billing Systems and secondly and most importantly: Lets clean up the Big Phrama rip-off system – all before we move ahead with new National Healthcare. If we don’t fix these things before we go to a National Healthcare….we are guaranteed a “Failed System” in the future.
Thanks Mr. President, we appreciate your efforts to clean up the tiny rip- offs in Government. They have been a long time coming. Especially now, before letting the International Prescription Drug Cartel – further game the entire system!
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