is the whole price usually covered, or is there a copay for generic and premium that kind of thing?
Are you talking about with an extended medical plan or for seniors/low income people? I think for the plan I am on I am covered for 80% no matter what drug you are prescribed. Depending on where you work you can have different plans. I had friends who worked for the federal government and they had 100% coverage. I am not quite sure what you mean by "copay for generic and premium". As far as for seniors like I said I think when you hit a certain amount then your prescriptions are covered. Plus drug prices are typically lower in Canada, although I can't really give figures as to how much (although you don’t really see drug ads on TV so that might have something to do with it).
Are you talking about with an extended medical plan or for seniors/low income people? I think for the plan I am on I am covered for 80% no matter what drug you are prescribed. Depending on where you work you can have different plans. I had friends who worked for the federal government and they had 100% coverage. I am not quite sure what you mean by "copay for generic and premium". As far as for seniors like I said I think when you hit a certain amount then your prescriptions are covered. Plus drug prices are typically lower in Canada, although I can't really give figures as to how much (although you don’t really see drug ads on TV so that might have something to do with it).
You answered it. Most US perscription plans are similar but dependant on drug type. If you are lucky enough to need a generic drug it's pretty much almost totally covered within a few bucks. Others can be much higher per bottle... mine are usually around 50 bucks....
Definately makes sense about the marketing too. The drug companies in the US probably spend as much or more marketing drugs as they do creating them.
My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
You answered it. Most US perscription plans are similar but dependant on drug type. If you are lucky enough to need a generic drug it's pretty much almost totally covered within a few bucks. Others can be much higher per bottle... mine are usually around 50 bucks....
Definately makes sense about the marketing too. The drug companies in the US probably spend as much or more marketing drugs as they do creating them.
Yea I think the drug plan I am on doesn't really care if I am paying for the cheap or expensive versions of drugs. Either way it still pays 80%. From my limited experience when I have had perscriptions doctors are usually pretty good about using generic drugs whenever possible. Or if name brand drugs give better results but cost more they will give you the option (like if you need antibiotics and the generic ones take 2 weeks to work but the more expensive ones only take 3 days they will give you the choice).
Marketing is pretty crazy. There are a few times when I watch US TV and they show the US commercials; the amount of weird, vague "ask your doctor if you need..." (even though he is the one with the medschool degree) are insane. (when you watch a US produced show in Canada even if you are watching it on the US channel you will get the Canadian network feed including Canadian commercials, the only way you get US commercials is if there is no Canadian network carrying the show).
Yea I think the drug plan I am on doesn't really care if I am paying for the cheap or expensive versions of drugs. Either way it still pays 80%. From my limited experience when I have had perscriptions doctors are usually pretty good about using generic drugs whenever possible. Or if name brand drugs give better results but cost more they will give you the option (like if you need antibiotics and the generic ones take 2 weeks to work but the more expensive ones only take 3 days they will give you the choice).
Marketing is pretty crazy. There are a few times when I watch US TV and they show the US commercials; the amount of weird, vague "ask your doctor if you need..." (even though he is the one with the medschool degree) are insane. (when you watch a US produced show in Canada even if you are watching it on the US channel you will get the Canadian network feed including Canadian commercials, the only way you get US commercials is if there is no Canadian network carrying the show).
All I know is if I get a 4 hour erection, my doctor is not going to be the first one I call...
My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
Yea I think the drug plan I am on doesn't really care if I am paying for the cheap or expensive versions of drugs. Either way it still pays 80%. From my limited experience when I have had perscriptions doctors are usually pretty good about using generic drugs whenever possible. Or if name brand drugs give better results but cost more they will give you the option (like if you need antibiotics and the generic ones take 2 weeks to work but the more expensive ones only take 3 days they will give you the choice).
Marketing is pretty crazy. There are a few times when I watch US TV and they show the US commercials; the amount of weird, vague "ask your doctor if you need..." (even though he is the one with the medschool degree) are insane. (when you watch a US produced show in Canada even if you are watching it on the US channel you will get the Canadian network feed including Canadian commercials, the only way you get US commercials is if there is no Canadian network carrying the show).
i saw a commercial for a prostate reducer - it was funny as hell, also scary tho ... the speed talker they hire at the end to list the potential side effects is crazy ...
i saw a commercial for a prostate reducer - it was funny as hell, also scary tho ... the speed talker they hire at the end to list the potential side effects is crazy ...
To me the craziest thing is the whole "ask your doctor if you need". I mean what kind of sorry, dumbass, Doctor Nick-style doctor needs me to do his job for him. He or she needs to be telling me what kind of drugs I need not the other way around.
My link was just a basic table, I didn't think it would be so hard to read.
Anyways, if you go here you will see that the US is behind France (among other countries with socialized healthcare) in all health indicators. Not just a few, but all of them, including major ones like infant mortality rates. Having a semi-free (people pay heavy taxes for this) healthcare system does not mean having crappy care.
Your original link did not directly open to the table. Besides, that table doesn't really support your argument anyway because infant mortality rates and life expectancy aren't exactly indicative of quality of healthcare.
For example, the french are famous for the "french paradox", which is the phenomenon whereby there is an inexplicably low rate of heart disease in france despite the high cholesterol diet that is traditionally served in that country. It is believed that the consumption of red wine aids in the maintenance of blood pressure, and red wine is served in france per capita moreso than in most other countries.
Besides that, it's common knowledge that a majority of americans eat poorly and rarely get adequate exercise. No amount of medical care available today can prevent mortality rates under those circumstances.
The remainder of the criteria in that original link have solely to do with availability and cost, not quality of care. And by quality of care, I am referring to educational background, practice specializations, contributions to progressive medicine, level of response for specific conditions...etc.
Alas, not a single criteria listed in those tables really dealt with issues concerning quality of healthcare.
And if you go back to this link you will see that the US spends more on health per capita than France, and that the total healthcare costs take a larger part of the GDP in the US as well. This basically means you are paying more for a less efficient system.
I understand that you may not want to pay for other people's healthcare but obviously the system in the US is not working right.
Again, your idea of "efficient" is just more people receiving care. Yes the US spends more for coverage of less number of people, but again we're talking hondas vs. ford festivas.
Several states, mostly in New England and the Midwest, have healthcare access and quality as good as the leading countries. Do they need healthcare reform?
The bottom states really bring down the numbers in the overall study.
Your original link did not directly open to the table. Besides, that table doesn't really support your argument anyway because infant mortality rates and life expectancy aren't exactly indicative of quality of healthcare.
Ok so our discussion is moot. Because to compare countries healthcare major organisms such as the WHO use indicators like mortality rates, infant deaths and life expectancy. Until we have a common ground to compare two countries all our arguments are pretty much useless.
Again, your idea of "efficient" is just more people receiving care. Yes the US spends more for coverage of less number of people, but again we're talking hondas vs. ford festivas.
Someone else in the thread already said the obvious : the more people are treated the less people are going to get sick - which is a healthcare system's main goal. And you should refer to jaguar vs. ford festivas, so at least you don't make both systems sound cheap.
Comments
Are you talking about with an extended medical plan or for seniors/low income people? I think for the plan I am on I am covered for 80% no matter what drug you are prescribed. Depending on where you work you can have different plans. I had friends who worked for the federal government and they had 100% coverage. I am not quite sure what you mean by "copay for generic and premium". As far as for seniors like I said I think when you hit a certain amount then your prescriptions are covered. Plus drug prices are typically lower in Canada, although I can't really give figures as to how much (although you don’t really see drug ads on TV so that might have something to do with it).
You answered it. Most US perscription plans are similar but dependant on drug type. If you are lucky enough to need a generic drug it's pretty much almost totally covered within a few bucks. Others can be much higher per bottle... mine are usually around 50 bucks....
Definately makes sense about the marketing too. The drug companies in the US probably spend as much or more marketing drugs as they do creating them.
This just in....ice is cold.
the other foot in the gutter
sweet smell that they adore
I think I'd rather smother
-The Replacements-
Yea I think the drug plan I am on doesn't really care if I am paying for the cheap or expensive versions of drugs. Either way it still pays 80%. From my limited experience when I have had perscriptions doctors are usually pretty good about using generic drugs whenever possible. Or if name brand drugs give better results but cost more they will give you the option (like if you need antibiotics and the generic ones take 2 weeks to work but the more expensive ones only take 3 days they will give you the choice).
Marketing is pretty crazy. There are a few times when I watch US TV and they show the US commercials; the amount of weird, vague "ask your doctor if you need..." (even though he is the one with the medschool degree) are insane. (when you watch a US produced show in Canada even if you are watching it on the US channel you will get the Canadian network feed including Canadian commercials, the only way you get US commercials is if there is no Canadian network carrying the show).
All I know is if I get a 4 hour erection, my doctor is not going to be the first one I call...
i saw a commercial for a prostate reducer - it was funny as hell, also scary tho ... the speed talker they hire at the end to list the potential side effects is crazy ...
To me the craziest thing is the whole "ask your doctor if you need". I mean what kind of sorry, dumbass, Doctor Nick-style doctor needs me to do his job for him. He or she needs to be telling me what kind of drugs I need not the other way around.
Your original link did not directly open to the table. Besides, that table doesn't really support your argument anyway because infant mortality rates and life expectancy aren't exactly indicative of quality of healthcare.
For example, the french are famous for the "french paradox", which is the phenomenon whereby there is an inexplicably low rate of heart disease in france despite the high cholesterol diet that is traditionally served in that country. It is believed that the consumption of red wine aids in the maintenance of blood pressure, and red wine is served in france per capita moreso than in most other countries.
Besides that, it's common knowledge that a majority of americans eat poorly and rarely get adequate exercise. No amount of medical care available today can prevent mortality rates under those circumstances.
The remainder of the criteria in that original link have solely to do with availability and cost, not quality of care. And by quality of care, I am referring to educational background, practice specializations, contributions to progressive medicine, level of response for specific conditions...etc.
Alas, not a single criteria listed in those tables really dealt with issues concerning quality of healthcare.
Again, your idea of "efficient" is just more people receiving care. Yes the US spends more for coverage of less number of people, but again we're talking hondas vs. ford festivas.
http://forums.pearljam.com/showthread.php?t=272825
The bottom states really bring down the numbers in the overall study.
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/usr_doc/StateScorecard.pdf?section=4039
Someone else in the thread already said the obvious : the more people are treated the less people are going to get sick - which is a healthcare system's main goal. And you should refer to jaguar vs. ford festivas, so at least you don't make both systems sound cheap.