This is exactly right. We (I organized the “Caravan to Canada”) walked into the pharmacy, the pharmacist asked us a few questions about whether we had used the insulin before and whether we had any adverse effects, and then we could buy it. No prescription needed.
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Yikes is right. (I’m the person in the story…) Our plan last year had something like a $3,200 deductible and $7,000 out of pocket max per individual ($14,000 per family.) Prescriptions were covered 60% once we met the deductible and then 'free" after the out of pocket max. Unfortunately between my daughter’s diabetes and my husband had a hospitalization last year we met our full $14,000 family out of pocket max (plus the $13k in premiums.) A silver level ACA plan here in MN. Needless to say, I would be happy to pay quite a bit higher taxes for a singlepayer system. We don’t earn a lot of money and last year was very difficult with all those healthcare costs.
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I’m sorry. It’s extreme suckiness all around.
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I get what you are saying, and you’re not exactly wrong, albeit quite smug about it. These days I find myself thinking often about how older generations in my home of Austria and in Germany are being held accountable (morally at least) for “not doing anything about it” when the Nazis came to power way back then. And rightfully so.
But then again, it turns out when the call to “do something about it” comes to your own door, it ain’t that easy. Posting pictures with guillotines on the internet won’t fix things.
There is the fig leaf of “democracy”, but really what choice do Americans usually have? Bog standard democrat politicians are just marginally less evil than republicans and voting for them won’t fix shit. It remains to be seen if one of the truly social-oriented candidates can be elected and if that happens, it will restore a bit of my faith in the possibility of a working U.S. democracy. As far as I understand the workings of American “democracy” that is an unlikely outcome.
Welcome to BoingBoing. I’m sorry to hear about the difficulties you’ve had, but I’m glad you found at least a partial solution. Recent polls show that an overwhelming majority of Americans recognize the problems with your health care system, so hopefully your situation won’t last forever.
You’ve probably read the discussion in this thread about possible effects on the supply of insulin in Canada. As a Canadian, let me point out that so far any issues are purely hypothetical. If supply problems arise in the future, they’ll be worked out. Yay regulated free markets! (No sarcasm.)
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