Diabetes and US health care?

[barryb]

Hello,

I am from the uk so i get all of my medication free off the NHS
but ive recently studied americas health system and found it shockingly bad, i also noticed most of the people on here are from the US, so whats the deal, does you insurance cover ALL your medication and if you dont have insurance how hard is it?

[inkvisitor]

Yes, the US really sucks in that department...

It is incredibly expensive if you don't have insurance. Oh, and insurance is incredibly expensive in itself. OH, and if you have a pre-existing condition, it is even more expensive, but don't worry, they'll just deny you coverage in the end anyhow.

One of the only decent ways is through group coverage through your employer, in my experience.

[barryb]

yea i was hearing about how they turn you down on that, so how much would a typical "type oner" pay for medication per week in the US of A?

[jlenegan]

yea i was hearing about how they turn you down on that, so how much would a typical "type oner" pay for medication per week in the US of A?

for everything, about $200 a week

[erik316]

Well I dont have insurance and right now I am in the process of getting disability. I have not worked since I was in the hospital in late August. Right now I am sitting here without any testing strips. The clinic that I can get them at for free is always out and are onoly open two days a week. Both days I had been at several tests. Hopefully my medical card will coome soon unless they deny me.

[dbaratta]

My insurance covers all but a $20 co-pay. I have private insurance. We also have Medicare here for people with no insurance and I don't know how that works but just because we don't get things 100% free doesn't make it bad.

[dbaratta]

What meter do you use? I have extra freedom freestyle. I could spare a box.

[retired60]

My insurance covers all but a $20 co-pay. I have private insurance. We also have Medicare here for people with no insurance and I don't know how that works but just because we don't get things 100% free doesn't make it bad. This is very misleading. If you have anything at all and fall within a certain age group you can't get medicaid, what .happens is you can loose everything you have. Our healthcare system is all about big bucks, and it discriminates. Is it fair you can't get insurance because you have diabetes or anyother chronic disease, or have to pay so much for it you can't afford to live. The American way is to take what a already sick person has to make sure the fat cats that run the insurance company or the hospitals keep their million dollar paydays.

[dbaratta]

Who can't get medicaid? Everyone I know that needs it has it. Plus, nothing is free ever. Someone somewhere has to pay for it. I know that the system is flawed, but socialized health-care is way worse. This is just my opinion of course, but I have been listening a lot to both sides of socialized medicine, it costs billions of dollars, that is not what I call free. Also in the US drug companies will help with free medicine if a person needs it, you just have to know where to go and ask the questions, help is out there.

[inkvisitor]

Uhm...no one is asking to get everything for free.
And before the tinfoil hats are soldered on and the town is painted red, are you aware of the economics and inefficiencies of for profit health insurance (not to mention the inhumane part)...?

[dbaratta]

YUP like I said, I have been researching this for months now. It is very scary.

All I was saying is that US health care as it is today is bad, but not that bad, could be worse.

US gets a bad rep for everything it is just kind of hard to read anything negative coming from anywhere.

Just a personal preference. I don't disagree with anything, just have my opinions is all.

[imac]

I have been reading with disbeleif the cost of meds in the us. In australia we have a goverment system called the national diabetic supply scheme. A needles pens etc. are free, i pay $1.10 for 100 test strips and 25 flex pens costs me $5.30 you would think that the us would have a system like this.

[Granny Shanny]

I have been reading with disbeleif the cost of meds in the us. In australia we have a goverment system called the national diabetic supply scheme. A needles pens etc. are free, i pay $1.10 for 100 test strips and 25 flex pens costs me $5.30 you would think that the us would have a system like this.

You WOULD think so, wouldn't you? US healthcare - free market capitalism in its finest hour! http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/sneezytwo/dry1.gif

[xMenace]

But US taxes are lower than other countries.

[Tribbles]

But US taxes are lower than other countries.
Not lower than the UK. When I was seconded to the US they translated my salary to local terms. My tax bill is almost exactly the same as it would be in the US. Actually if I owned a house as I do in the UK my US tax bill would be higher. In fairness I live in New York, but I used to live in London.

The UK will spend $2386 per head for universal health care for 2008-2009. Above and beyond that there are $10(ish) prescription co-pays unless you have a chronic disease like diabetes (10% of the NHS budget goes on diabetes and it's complications).

[Joeprep4820]

I pay $180 a month in premiums for universal health coverage, meaning I am covered fully in all 50 states, all of the EU, and most other countries in the world where my job takes me. I have to pay $20 for co-pays when I see my doctors, insurance covers everything else, and I have to see my primary physician in order to get referrals to see my specialists, all of whom charge a $20 co-pay. For medications I need to pay a co-pay of $20 per shipment for insulin and test strips, and each shipment is a 3 months' supply. My pump and pump equipment is fully covered. My plan was offered through my employer, not private.

[Joeprep4820]

Not lower than the UK. When I was seconded to the US they translated my salary to local terms. My tax bill is almost exactly the same as it would be in the US. Actually if I owned a house as I do in the UK my US tax bill would be higher. In fairness I live in New York, but I used to live in London.

The UK will spend $2386 per head for universal health care for 2008-2009. Above and beyond that there are $10(ish) prescription co-pays unless you have a chronic disease like diabetes (10% of the NHS budget goes on diabetes and it's complications).

It technically is higher when you get to a certain income level, over 100000 pounds per year, although since some of that tax is put towards healthcare, I suppose it evens out a bit.

[Tribbles]

It technically is higher when you get to a certain income level, over 100000 pounds per year, although since some of that tax is put towards healthcare, I suppose it evens out a bit.
There is a new tax rate 50% tax rate on earning above 150,000 pounds per year which wasn't in place when I was in the UK but then I (sadly) don't reach that level.

[Joeprep4820]

I also remember reading in the Washington Post that the poorest 5th of Americans pay around 4.3% of their income in federal taxes while the highest 5th pay around 25%, and in the UK the poorest 5th pay 36% while the highest 5th pay 35%. This also does not take into effect local city and state taxes.

[Granny Shanny]

Funny thing about percentages . . . poor people pay just as much for milk, eggs & bread as rich folk. The grocery store doesn't accept a percentage.

[Penny]

Funny thing about percentages . . . poor people pay just as much for milk, eggs & bread as rich folk. The grocery store doesn't accept a percentage.

Yes, but Granny, pickles and ketchup are vegetables, aren't they? We can eat just as healthy as anyone, can't we? :D

[GeishaGirl]

Ironically, I have government insurance, which seems to be the best. I pay $180/month, pre-tax, and it covers pretty much everything. I pay $20 per doctor visit, and can see literally any doctor and have any procedure I want without contacting them first -- it just winds up being a roundabout payout. For instance, my endo is NOT "in network" but I see her anyway. I have to pay a $300 deductible (I think) but that's met in one freaking visit, and after that insurance technically "repays" me for seeing her, but I just pass the checks over. I paid $35 to have an endoscopy (grand total: around $6K). Prescription costs are next to nothing.

Roundup:
- Any doctor, $20/visit
- Prescriptions: vary, but cheap. Insulin is around $2.50/vial, Metformin $5/month, Fomotidine $10/month.
- No problems with seeing docs as often as I want, and having any procedure I want
- Pump: free
- Pump supplies: free (since I'm a teacher and will be in their system for life, they've outright admitted that it's free to encourage good control so they don't have to pay for transplants/complications down the road!)

I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES! I know this. I also know I'm trapped. Unless the system changes, I can't ever decide to stop teaching. My husband and I fell in love with San Diego, enough that we'd consider moving there.... if we wouldn't immediately go bankrupt from my medical expenses, without my great insurance.

So, we have to wait until I retire to move to sunny SD. It's a really strange trade-off.

[Penny]

So, we have to wait until I retire to move to sunny SD. It's a really strange trade-off.

Don't count on it then. My husband and I paid extra for many years to make sure we had insurance after he retired...in January, we lose most of that insurance. We have always been frugal, saved to make sure we would be Ok when we got old.....my medical expenses will eat all that up real quick. Even when I am old enough for Medicare, they do not pay for things like insulin and testing supplies. I do admit we had good insurance for many years, but we paid for it. Now I am trying to figure out if there are some of my medications I can safely cut out, or if I can stretch doctor visits out to every 6 months or a year. And we are people who thought they prepared for this time in our lives.

[Granny Shanny]

Don't count on it then. My husband and I paid extra for many years to make sure we had insurance after he retired...in January, we lose most of that insurance. We have always been frugal, saved to make sure we would be Ok when we got old.....my medical expenses will eat all that up real quick. Even when I am old enough for Medicare, they do not pay for things like insulin and testing supplies. I do admit we had good insurance for many years, but we paid for it. Now I am trying to figure out if there are some of my medications I can safely cut out, or if I can stretch doctor visits out to every 6 months or a year. And we are people who thought they prepared for this time in our lives.
Yes, but Granny, pickles and ketchup are vegetables, aren't they? We can eat just as healthy as anyone, can't we? :D

hee hee . . . yep, so said the Reaganauts, didn't they?!

We have followed the same frugality ethic & look where it's gotten us. We'll have to pay our personal property & real estate taxes next month, and that means we don't have anything left to give our kids Christmas gifts. Nice, huh?

Our house is paid off, so we don't have a house payment anymore - yet we still can't make ends meet. Buy health insurance? Not an icicle's chance in h3ll. :mad: :mad: :mad:

[dbaratta]

I have been reading with disbeleif the cost of meds in the us. In australia we have a goverment system called the national diabetic supply scheme. A needles pens etc. are free, i pay $1.10 for 100 test strips and 25 flex pens costs me $5.30 you would think that the us would have a system like this.

We do, but you have to qualify. your meds are cheap for you but someone, somewhere pays. Same thing will happen here when/if they socialize medicine. I think like everything there is good and bad. Guess we just have to wait and see.

[inkvisitor]

Re: US taxes - look at our federal breakdown. The largest percentage of my taxes go to defense spending + interest on military debt (~37%).

[dbaratta]

Re: US taxes - look at our federal breakdown. The largest percentage of my taxes go to defense spending + interest on military debt (~37%).

Yup we do spend a lot of defense,,,not sure where you are going here with this one. :confused: But, see our national dept as of sept 1 2009,,,,pile socialized healthcare on top of that. We are going to pay dearly. I believe we need to reform for sure, just not convinced that they are going about it the right way.....just my opinion.

The Daily History of the Debt Results
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