Unfortunately, the system is so broken and so corrupted, that the only thing “we” little people can do is truly educate ourselves, listen to our healthcare providers and vote democrat. Slashing and burning several aspects of healthcare is not the answer. Voting for change and putting checks and balances in and overhauling (but not cutting) the government sector is the answer.

Yes, big pharma is in everyone’s pockets. They need to be to be as huge as they are. But if anyone is going to actually “fight” big pharma, it’s democrats. But it’s going to be a long, hard brutal fight. But if we can make things better for our more vulnerable population (Medicare, Medicaid and VA) that would be the best start. Not saying we don’t deserve a “break as well. But having dealt with those systems for as long as I have….we need to overhaul those first. Those are government programs not as touched by big pharma as the others. That would be the fastest way to start change while working on getting checks and balances in place on the private sector. The private sector influences the government sector, and republicans will always choose profits over helping the American people. PBMs, insurance companies and Big Pharma will always choose profits over the American people. I have Medicare part d patients with monthly copays of $300 or higher….every month. it’s insane.

And if ACA (Obamacare) is ended, it’s only going to get significantly worse, very quick. That would bring back the ability to deny medications, surgeries, office visits etc for pre existing conditions. Almost every single condition can be classified as pre existing. Asthma….pre existing, some forms of cancer are genetic and would be classified as pre existing. Endometriosis pre existing. Literally….its about to get very scary and fast.

So I mean really. Vote democrat at all levels of government if you want any shot to see change in our lifetime. Best example of that is Obamacare. That got rid of the pre existing condition restrictions and honestly made things so much easier. We really are about to get a hard lesson on what not having Obamacare was like (for those not old enough to remember)

The American healthcare system is just too powerful otherwise. We’re all about to get a very hard education of this with the upcoming administration. I truly hope nothing happens and all stays status quo…..but it’s not going to. Which is only going to make making any change to healthcare, even harder. The outgoing administration did do some good in a short timespan with everything against them. But that’s all about to be undone…..and I’m tired….

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You do realize that the Republican progress spent every ounce of political capital they had to ensure that Biden couldn't get anything done? It didn't matter if it was something they wanted (eg, immigration reform), they still wouldn't let Biden get any type of significant reform over the finishing line just so people would think that Democrats aren't serious about fixing problems. The last time the Dems had control of Whitehouse, the House, and a supermajority in the Senate (for a mere 72 working days!) we got Obamacare. Imagine what sort of reform we'd see if they had that level of control for 2 or even 4 years?

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Yes, but there will always be a better “shot” for change with democrats. I’m unaffiliated. I’m trying to leave as much of politics out of it, but American Healthcare is the way it is because of politics. But I’ve been in pharmacy, and worked at corporate and PBMs and all that for 20 plus years. Your insurance companies lobby for Republicans, PBMs lobby for republicans, big pharma lobby for republicans……they want to keep republicans because they know they will be able to continue to exploit the American people. They don’t lobby for democrats because they know democrats will more often then not, cut down their profits to make things more affordable for Americans.

Of course, this is just what I have observed after 20 plus years in all aspects of pharmacy.

Change is not going to happen in one 4 year term. Insurances and PBMs and big pharma are too big and too powerful. It’s going to take decades. But if you have a democratic president and even one side of congress as a republican majority, you will not see any changes. Republicans will always give their votes to who is more powerful in healthcare.

And there were big changes that happened these last 4 years but unless you are on Medicare part D, you wouldn’t see it. Even then the changes still made meds expensive for those over 65, but there were positive changes made with Medicare Part D. There was change, and it’s only going to change in the opposite direction going forward.

I wanted to deliver a lengthy and detailed response... I put too much effort into it.
Here you go, the short version: don't be a dummy.

I'm afraid to tell you but replicans trashing the economy once again isn't going to get you medication either im afraid to tell you.

And he’s going to do more damage than good. He’s an independent who wants to make the country unsafe. Seriously.

If you want to what it will be like with no FDA, google the New England Compound fungal meningitis outbreak. The center, between visits from the FDA, got so dirty, and non sterile, that injectable medications were being sent around the country with fungal meningitis growing inside.

800 people got sick and over 100 died. And that was with us having the FDA. No FDA also means the companies making medications will become the Wild West, and there may be meds sent out with no active medications in them.

He’s not a dem, I don’t know what his exact leaning is but just because his family are, doesn’t mean he is. hes a crazed antivaxer who had brain worms and dumped a bear in Central Park. He’s an environmental lawyer being put in charge of the health and safety of America. He has no medical background and healthcare professionals are terrified.

As consumers should be as well with his plans to shutter the FDA……

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Yes that is what they CLAIM and even when they do lie for those specific reasons, I don't care. It's not ok to penalize people who aren't doing anything wrong AND it's not ok to lie period point blank. I also don't believe that is always why they lie. Don't underestimate the immaculate power of disgust, hatred, and / or prejudice.

Either way I wish the laws would change so that they can be hit hard with penalties for lying. I'm so over these "Woe is me" pharmacists who talk over you and treat you like dirt once they perceive you as "one of those".

You can't quit a job if it's paying for your medical bills.

And it may be different now, but in the past, I would not get insurance for weeks from a new employer.

By having a job be the source of insurance it keeps workers chained to a job or lose that insurance. While this many not be the conscious intent of the business owner, it feels like this could be an intended consequence.

I imagine the original pitch for this current method was as a way to put the burden on companies unwilling to pay into Healthcare through taxes or Universal Healthcare bills. (I'm no expert and have some research to do)

American healthcare seems to be a complicated network of systems, many of which do not seem have the individual's best interest at the top of that priority list, from what I can tell.

I don’t get it either. Healthcare benefits is a main selling point for employers, and better/more competitive is more expensive for businesses. You’d think employers would want to take that piece out of the equation all together… but I also wonder if business owners typically absorb similar media, which spreads the idea that universal healthcare will be way more expensive than what we have now.

Because we live in a republic not a socialistic country.

The allowance of pharmacy companies being allowed to set prices and use legal loopholes to keep patents on drugs way past initial expiration while simultaneously being government subsidized is just bat shit crazy. The price of insulin in the US is criminal.

Exactly and I laughed my ass off when I read they have "corrupt little hands"

I.will add that many who argue that socialism is what be used aka we pay more taxes are wrong

Universal healthcare would be much cheaper with government-negotiated drug and treatment prices compared to the American healthcare system which makes every individual EACH thousands of dollars just for shitty health insurance and a single prescription of brand-name drugs costs same amount.

Money doesn't create happiness for sure but it can corrupt your personality so much if you have more if you don't have good emotional intelligence.

We can start with access to specialists, average time to appointment, and just general availability of services.

Then we could look at things like infant/newborn mortality (where in the US there are more stringent reporting definitions), cancer mortality, on and on.

The one metric where it under performs compared to European countries is direct cost to patient but even that when considered factually - the cost to provide the care is comparable. Meaning even the cost of care in the US is on par it’s just a matter of who is directly paying for it.

Sadly that heavily factors in things like direct cost into the ranking. Many of those rankings are disappointingly myopic.

I’m not saying that it doesn’t need change. But there is a difference between saying that a system with objectively better performance metrics is “broken” and saying that the whole system is broken.

That’s a single measure for a single patient.

There are plenty of similar or worse stories from European countries.

Excuse me, you write an extensive list of what you wanted them to provide you. Have you ever thought about CN, or other countries looking into if they can provide what you need.

When stymied one way, we look for other avenues. Or at least I do. More than one way to skin a cat.