this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2023
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Scandinavian countries:
I don't think he meant to the consumer. EU countries can negotiate for the price with pharmaceutical companies, so they can lower the price.
In the US insurance companies can try to negotiate, but their weight is quite low, and the federal government (medicaid, medicare) is forbidden by law to negotiate. Whichever price pharma sets, it's that.
Sounds crazy they are but allowed to negotiate?
Is that the same for anything else the government buys? I can't imagine the army buying 100 tanks and just paying the first price they get?
It's like
– Arms dealer: Each tank cost me 500,000 dollars to make. Give me 5 billion for each.
– Let's negotiate. How about 500 million instead?
– Arms dealer: Fiiine, but only because you're a good client.
This is legitimately how it works in the US between insurance and pharma/medical.
I just had a baby and I added up the total bill from the hospital and it was $100,000. We were in the hospital for 3 days. My insurance "negotiated" it down to $26,000, and I paid $3000.
The $100,000 is completely made up from the beginning. Pharma and medical just slap big ass ridiculous numbers down, then the insurance fake negotiates down to a still completely ridiculous number, then that cost has to get eaten by people who pay into insurance, which is basically everyone.
Is that true? Is there a legitimate reason why they shouldn't be able to?
How about updating the constitution to solve this specific problem, which is quite significant for the populace? After all, it's the constitution's job to serve the people.
That would require a constitutional amendment, which would require being ratified by 38 or more states. Which would require at least 38 states without significant corruption/obstruction, and a population not braindead/brainwashed enough to vote against their own interests.
So the chances of that happening are abysmally low.
Because medicine shouldn't become a flea market where you're gambling your health against profit maximization.
Give pharmaceutical companies a fair price scale where they can profit, don't let them hyperinflate prices without justification.
It's not the same if Apple prices their phones at 20,000 USD and you decide you're buying other brand, pharma plays these extortion games after they have captured enough market/regulation so most people have to pay or stay sick.
United States countries: