I Have Diabetes

@SW-User the collusion between generic manufacturers ensure that even the generic stuff is ridiculously expensive. Quite, quite illegal, but the current government isnt going to enforce those laws, of course.

@firefall That's the US Government you mean?

@SW-User yes indeed - in Aussie, I dont think it's anything like the same problem, lacking the utterly insane US health insurance system/scam (its a long time since I've lived there so maybe thats changed)

@firefall Ah i see. Well here our health system isn't perfect by any means but we do have the PBS (government funded pharmaceutical benefits scheme). And any medications listed on the PBS are basically subsidised down to just a few dollars. So for instance if someone is on a $5000 per month drug and it's on the PBS, they'll pay maybe $10 per month etc. So i know all the main diabetes drugs are listed. I would also note that our private health insurance schemes that many also sign up for don't actually cover medications unless you are in hospital. So the PBS really benefits everyone.

@SW-User Yeah, that's vastly preferable. For example, I'm paying about $125/month for my insulin (other drugs aside) - one January, my employer screwed up the insurance briefly, and that month I had to pay $2300 for insulin (which my employer did eventually repay, mercifully).

@firefall That's a huge amount for anyone to pay to have to keep their health in order to work and stay alive which benefits everyone.

What i've heard of the US private health insurance system sounds like it's really tough on those on lower incomes, especially that the insurance company gets a say in your medication which seems incredible. Here the doctor tells you what you are getting and how much and as long as its covered in your policy the insurance company will just pay. However i have heard that the Government and insurance companies want a more US-style system here. But to do that they have to get rid of Medicare and the PBS as that is keeping private health insurance prices low.

@SW-User you are correct, in all of that. I cant imagine a government in Oz introducing the US system and not being comprehensively crushed at the next election.

@firefall You are correct in that too. The good thing about democracy is that everyone gets one vote, whether they are healthy and rich, or poor with diabetes etc. Then add to that that voting is compulsory here so we get about a 90% voter turn out and most of the poor people or sick people vote too, so there's huge support for Medicare and the PBS. But my guess is that they wouldn't end the PBS overnight, they'd just slowly make cuts to it until it was phased out.. so all done by stealth.