Biden admin freezes Trump HHS rule meant to lower insulin prices

[Nature Boy 2.0 8,370]

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-trump-hhs-rule-lower-insulin-prices

[Ban Hammer 13,340]

[Steeleballz 7,550]

 

   We could have had lower prices on many pharmaceuticals if the senate had taken up the HR.3 bill that the house passed in 2019 instead of scrapping it. Also if the senate had passed it's own alternative to the bill - the prescription drug reduction act of 2019 which as far as I can tell is still going in circles a year and a half later.

 

   I give credit to Trump for acting on this, at the same time it highlights the failure of congress to address something that needs to be addressed. The bigger issue here is that these things should not ever need to come down to executive orders. We have a drug that has been around forever and that costs less than $100 to produce a years supply of, and yet we have a congress (senate specifically) that thinks it is unfair to pharmaceutical companies to cap the cost to the end consumer at $4000 a month. They could have literally taken care of this years ago and they could have done it in a way that is fair to everyone.

 

   I hate to say lower your expectations to anyone, but there is no rock bottom for this congress as long as we continue to send the same dolts back there over and over, or if we think the dolts on the other side are going to fix the problems when they get their turn. Better just get used to it.

[Burnt Reynolds 5,058]

17 minutes ago, Steeleballz said:

 

   We could have had lower prices on many pharmaceuticals if the senate had taken up the HR.3 bill that the house passed in 2019 instead of scrapping it. Also if the senate had passed it's own alternative to the bill - the prescription drug reduction act of 2019 which as far as I can tell is still going in circles a year and a half later.

 

   I give credit to Trump for acting on this, at the same time it highlights the failure of congress to address something that needs to be addressed. The bigger issue here is that these things should not ever need to come down to executive orders. We have a drug that has been around forever and that costs less than $100 to produce a years supply of, and yet we have a congress (senate specifically) that thinks it is unfair to pharmaceutical companies to cap the cost to the end consumer at $4000 a month. They could have literally taken care of this years ago and they could have done it in a way that is fair to everyone.

 

   I hate to say lower your expectations to anyone, but there is no rock bottom for this congress as long as we continue to send the same dolts back there over and over, or if we think the dolts on the other side are going to fix the problems when they get their turn. Better just get used to it.

100% agreed.

 

And this can't be looked at merely in the scope of Congress not acting to protect consumers. They've acted endlessly over the years and specifically to screw consumers, at the behest of pharma and insurance. This is precisely why even though I really want universal in the US, its things like this one has to look at, with a circumspect lens, when deciding to okay government to act on something so comprehensive. In other countries like Canada, this is highly consumer centric and it's not simply something where high prices are mandated by government legislation, they actively seek lower prices and invite competition (within reason). In the US, when government has gotten involved, it bears out in the opposite.. they are centered on personal relationships (establishments, corruption), and it winds up benefiting pharma and insurance to the detriment of consumers. High prices aren't avoided, competition is not invited, instead, laws that are mandates to higher cost, less consumer choice, and monopolization. Funny enough, in many ways, it still changes nothing on product sourcing, so it's still sourced cheaply, the ridiculously inflated returns wind up mandated, which is why the big bucks are spent to perpetuate it.

 

Until people wise up and learn to stop voting for scumbags, like you, I don't see any positive developments. All Trump could do, for example, was try and bring back US pharma production, for US leverage, and pulling back some of that outflowing cash back in. There's little even a well intending President could do on his own, Congress is and has been the biggest impediment. 

Edited January 23, 2021 by Burnt Reynolds

[TBoneTX 45,291]

Just across the Tex-Mex border, pharmaceutical prices are typically way lower.

Most U.S. brand names are available there.

Equivalent generics are available from:

   -- the major European labs

   -- the European distributors for the U.S. labs

   -- frequently, the national labs in Mexico City

 

Pharmacist showed me a stark example.  Trelegy (inhaler for asthma, etc.) can cost $400 or more in the U.S.  This guy's pharmacy sold them for $70 (and an outfit across the street wanted $63).  Precisely the same product, still made by Glaxo with all the trademarks/"marcas registradas," except with Spanish-language labeling.  Guy said that gringos routinely come down specifically to buy a several-months' supply of this, plus many other meds.

 

Oral meds are more often in blister-packs than we're used to seeing here.  Unsure why, unless it lowers packaging costs.

 

In addition, hydroxychloroquine (impeach Trump!) is available there, off-the-shelf; in the U.S., some states refuse doctors' attempts to prescribe it off-label for the coronavirus, because supplies are needed in reserve for people who have lupus and other chronic conditions.  If I recall, a 10-day supply (20 capsules?) was something like $30.

 

Only meds not available for sale are pseudoephedrine products and narcotics.

[Nature Boy 2.0 8,370]

15 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

Just across the Tex-Mex border, pharmaceutical prices are typically way lower.

Most U.S. brand names are available there.

Equivalent generics are available from:

   -- the major European labs

   -- the European distributors for the U.S. labs

   -- frequently, the national labs in Mexico City

 

Pharmacist showed me a stark example.  Trelegy (inhaler for asthma, etc.) can cost $400 or more in the U.S.  This guy's pharmacy sold them for $70 (and an outfit across the street wanted $63).  Precisely the same product, still made by Glaxo with all the trademarks/"marcas registradas," except with Spanish-language labeling.  Guy said that gringos routinely come down specifically to buy a several-months' supply of this, plus many other meds.

 

Oral meds are more often in blister-packs than we're used to seeing here.  Unsure why, unless it lowers packaging costs.

 

In addition, hydroxychloroquine (impeach Trump!) is available there, off-the-shelf; in the U.S., some states refuse doctors' attempts to prescribe it off-label for the coronavirus, because supplies are needed in reserve for people who have lupus and other chronic conditions.  If I recall, a 10-day supply (20 capsules?) was something like $30.

 

Only meds not available for sale are pseudoephedrine products and narcotics.

Much the same in the Philippines. One drug I take is about 550 here without insurance.  30 bucks OTC in the PI