bezos is a drug dealer

[steve from amherst]

Amazon is now selling prescription drugs, and Prime members can get massive discounts if they pay without insurance

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/amazon-is-now-selling-prescription-drugs-and-prime-members-can-get-massive-discounts-if-they-pay-without-insurance/ar-BB1b5BKg?ocid=msedgntp

[Skidooski]

Can we pay without a script as well   

[Rigid1]

9 minutes ago, Skidooski said:

Can we pay without a script as well   

If you live in Portland yes..

[Anler]

As it should be. If you are paying cash you should get the same discount as the insurance companies. 

[Angry ginger]

Just now, Anler said:

As it should be. If you are paying cash you should get the same discount as the insurance companies. 

agreed.

 

disgusting that a hospital will try to hold you up for 100k when the insurance company only pays 30k for the same service.  Friends in billing at the local hospital,  if one is smart enough to call and they have no insurance they will go 60% off.  

[spin_dry]

Oops. I just posted this. I’ll delete it. 

[Skidooski]

1 minute ago, spin_dry said:

Oops. I just posted this. I’ll delete it. 

 

Edited November 17, 2020 by Skidooski

[Anler]

8 minutes ago, Angry ginger said:

agreed.

 

disgusting that a hospital will try to hold you up for 100k when the insurance company only pays 30k for the same service.  Friends in billing at the local hospital,  if one is smart enough to call and they have no insurance they will go 60% off.  

Ideally I would like to see an end to health insurance as we know it and move to a more functional system of health care. Perhaps leave health insurance for catastrophic cases and just have individuals have HSA's to pay their day to day bills. With what I pay for my family's insurance plan its never a cost effective endeavor. I would much rather pay for a catostrophic plan and just pay for doctors visits and prescriptions out of pocket. I'd probably save about $10,000-$15,000 a year.

And I also feel that insurance companies and care providers have an incestual relationship that is more about $$$ than effective health care. 

[Angry ginger]

9 minutes ago, Anler said:

Ideally I would like to see an end to health insurance as we know it and move to a more functional system of health care. Perhaps leave health insurance for catastrophic cases and just have individuals have HSA's to pay their day to day bills. With what I pay for my family's insurance plan its never a cost effective endeavor. I would much rather pay for a catostrophic plan and just pay for doctors visits and prescriptions out of pocket. I'd probably save about $10,000-$15,000 a year.

And I also feel that insurance companies and care providers have an incestual relationship that is more about $$$ than effective health care. 

i am crunching numbers right now for moving back to an HDHP for next year.  almost $600/mo savings and if catastrophic happens I am actually ahead with this plan over the normal $1000 deductible PPO.  Waiting for insurance to give me a quote on what I'd pay for the wifes meds as that is the only thing that may make it not work.   My crazy pills and cholesterol meds are cheap.  

Vast majority would be better served with a HDHP and paying for their normal care.  Even with my son blowing out his knee when on it that was not more expensive that year.  Second time I actually had the $1000 deduc plan and it was almost identical.  

 

 

 

[Anler]

Just now, Angry ginger said:

i am crunching numbers right now for moving back to an HDHP for next year.  almost $600/mo savings and if catastrophic happens I am actually ahead with this plan over the normal $1000 deductible PPO.  Waiting for insurance to give me a quote on what I'd pay for the wifes meds as that is the only thing that may make it not work.   My crazy pills and cholesterol meds are cheap.  

Vast majority would be better served with a HDHP and paying for their normal care.  Even with my son blowing out his knee when on it that was not more expensive that year.  Second time I actually had the $1000 deduc plan and it was almost identical.  

 

 

 

See we dont have any meds so its just the occasional illness. Id much rather have the cash and just live a healthier lifestyle.

[Highmark]

Now if we can just get rid of State Insurance rules and purchase across state lines.   Competition is one key to reducing rates. 

[Anler]

5 minutes ago, Highmark said:

Now if we can just get rid of State Insurance rules and purchase across state lines.   Competition is one key to reducing rates. 

If you got rid of state insurance rules why would you need to purchase out of state?

[Highmark]

3 minutes ago, Anler said:

If you got rid of state insurance rules why would you need to purchase out of state?

Competition.   If you can buy it cheaper from another state will force in state pricing down.   You against competition?

Companies could make moves to increase customers.   

Edited November 17, 2020 by Highmark

[Anler]

1 minute ago, Highmark said:

Competition.   If you can buy it cheaper from another state will force in state pricing down.   You against competition?

Companies could make moves to increase customers.   

yeah but if you remove the cost inhibitor why cant blue cross Iowa just sell you the same shit as blue cross minnesota? 

Insurance costs are based on the health care costs of your area. If there are mandatory inclusions for a specific state and you remove those then I dont see why there would be any difference in costs. 

People like to get caught up in the "which insurance is cheaper" when in reality its the insurance that makes your health care expensive. 

[spin_dry]

I’ve yet to see any substantial savings from “enhanced competition”. There won’t be any real saving until the delivery of healthcare services receives a substantial overhaul. 

[Anler]

Just now, spin_dry said:

I’ve yet to see any substantial savings from “enhanced competition”. There won’t be any real saving until the delivery of healthcare services receives a substantial overhaul. 

Thats what I am saying, its doesnt exist. You cant compare insurance costs for Tumbleweed, Kansas and Chicago, IL and think, "oh man if I could buy my insurance from tumbleweed I could save thousands!" It just doesnt work that way. 

Also if you know anyone who works for a health care network they will tell you that the amount and kind of care you receive will often depend on the kind of insurance coverage you have. They know exactly how to extract the most amount of dollars from your plan for the treatment you require. As I said, insurance and providers are incestuous and feed and facilitate each other. Costs are never going to go down with this relationship. 

[spin_dry]

2 minutes ago, Anler said:

Thats what I am saying, its doesnt exist. You cant compare insurance costs for Tumbleweed, Kansas and Chicago, IL and think, "oh man if I could buy my insurance from tumbleweed I could save thousands!" It just doesnt work that way. 

Also if you know anyone who works for a health care network they will tell you that the amount and kind of care you receive will often depend on the kind of insurance coverage you have. They know exactly how to extract the most amount of dollars from your plan for the treatment you require. As I said, insurance and providers are incestuous and feed and facilitate each other. Costs are never going to go down with this relationship. 

There’s also laws in place that cap profit margins for insurance companies. There simply isn’t a lot of wiggle room for big savings from competition. The focus needs to be on healthcare delivery. 

[Anler]

2 minutes ago, spin_dry said:

There’s also laws in place that cap profit margins for insurance companies. There simply isn’t a lot of wiggle room for big savings from competition. The focus needs to be on healthcare delivery. 

Effective health care delivery but also preventative health care is far more important. There is a reason we are the sickest country on the planet

[Highmark]

22 minutes ago, Anler said:

yeah but if you remove the cost inhibitor why cant blue cross Iowa just sell you the same shit as blue cross minnesota? 

Insurance costs are based on the health care costs of your area. If there are mandatory inclusions for a specific state and you remove those then I dont see why there would be any difference in costs. 

People like to get caught up in the "which insurance is cheaper" when in reality its the insurance that makes your health care expensive. 

  The the funniest shit I've ever read on here.  

[spin_dry]

8 minutes ago, Anler said:

Effective health care delivery but also preventative health care is far more important. There is a reason we are the sickest country on the planet

Now you’re opening up a Pandora’s box. I just read a good article about the amount of chronic inflammatory diseases of joints and digestive systems in America. Americans have horrible gut flora. Gut flora is now being associated with a wide variety of health issues. The theory is that farming has decimated the microorganisms in the soil. It’s been done through anti fungal agents, herbicides, and fertilizer. That’s gotten into out food chain and has effectively changed the microbiome in our guts. 

Edited November 17, 2020 by spin_dry

[Anler]

Just now, Highmark said:

  The the funniest shit I've ever read on here.  

Then you dont understand health care which is what I took from your comment

[Angry ginger]

41 minutes ago, Anler said:

See we dont have any meds so its just the occasional illness. Id much rather have the cash and just live a healthier lifestyle.

For most thats why they are better served with a HDHP.   I suggested to our HR guy he spend more time explaining that plan to people.   My wifes got fibromlagia so shes got some meds for that.  My meds are cheap. I keep telling her to get on the pot for the fibro rather than the meds and chiropracter she goes to for it.  Chiro care gets expensive.  

 

 

[Angry ginger]

2 minutes ago, Highmark said:

  The the funniest shit I've ever read on here.  

lots of truth to that.  If insurance companies were not jsut paying out and raising prices every year all these facilities that the hospital systems are building that are 3/4 empty (prior to Covid) would not exist.  My doc office is in a 3 building 200k SF facility that didn't exist 5 years ago.  The place is easily 3/4 empty.   

[Anler]

1 minute ago, spin_dry said:

Now you’re opening up a Pandora’s box. I just read a good article about the amount of chronic inflammatory diseases of joints and digestive systems in America. Americans have horrible gut flora. Gut flora is now being associated with a wide variety of health. The theory is that farming has decimated the microorganisms in the soil. It’s been done through anti fungal agents, herbicides, and fertilizer. That’s gotten into out food chain and has effectively changed the microbiome in our guts. 

yep. And its hard to avoid in this country. 

[Angry ginger]

19 minutes ago, Anler said:

Thats what I am saying, its doesnt exist. You cant compare insurance costs for Tumbleweed, Kansas and Chicago, IL and think, "oh man if I could buy my insurance from tumbleweed I could save thousands!" It just doesnt work that way. 

Also if you know anyone who works for a health care network they will tell you that the amount and kind of care you receive will often depend on the kind of insurance coverage you have. They know exactly how to extract the most amount of dollars from your plan for the treatment you require. As I said, insurance and providers are incestuous and feed and facilitate each other. Costs are never going to go down with this relationship. 

even if you could that last a year or so before they see the extra expense of proividing care in Chicago and raise rates.  We used to carry out insurance through BC/BS of MN because it was way cheaper than BC/BS of PA but over a few years that savings slowly went away.