This 'n That...Daniel
Hines' views on seniors issues
Here we take a look at
wasted research about the obvious: seniors forced to make decisions
about prescription drug use or paying other bills…or ‘No Virginia, there is not a prescription drug Santa Claus
Every now and
then, we get news releases that just stagger our minds. In the
latest, the University of Michigan and the VA have a doctor they
share do research to discover whether or not seniors have to choose
between medications or paying other bills.
Duh, Dude! For
years, seniors have turned in increasing numbers to the world wide
web and Canada because the choices they faced were a given...they
didn't have enough money to go around.
So here comes a
‘researcher’ to tell us the obvious, but with a twist. He has a
solution. Read on…
The story starts
by describing the patient being studied—70-year-old Virginia Norman,
whose prescription drugs cost more than $550 a month. And, of
course, Virginia didn’t have the money to pay for that plus her
bills. Our researcher, Dr. John Piette, concludes that this could
be serious.
But then comes the
surprising solution. Dr. Piette claims that through the help of
Virginia’s physician and social workers in the University of
Michigan Health System, Virginia has been completely freed from
paying out-of-pocket costs for her medications.
Listen to what the
Doctor has to say: “Studies have shown that as many as one in five
older patients with chronic health problems are cutting back on
their medications simply because they cost too much. And of those
patients, more than half do not tell their clinician, physician or
nurse in advance – and that can be a very serious problem,” says
Dr. Piette.
The Doctor
continues that health care costs, especially prescription drugs, are
a ‘very big problem’ especially for the elderly or those with
chronic medical problems. But, he points to the many ‘new
therapeutic agents that work so well’. Sure, Doc, like Vioxx,
Celebrex, Aleve.
And just when you
think he can’t top himself, here he comes again noting, “But
patients do not have to put their health at risk to save money on
prescribed medications – health care providers and social workers
can help…”
And we though
President Bush was simplistic to his solution to the flu vaccine
shortage with his ‘stay well’ comments. I bet that if the President
had read about Dr. Piette, he would have considered him for
Secretary of Health and Human Services. But, what the hey, there’s
always Director of Homeland Security. What a team the President and
the Doctor would make.
So let’s take a
look at some of the solutions the Doctor advocates:
·
Finding generic alternatives. I wonder how the drug company lawyers
who are able to extend patents through simple alterations liked that
one.
·
And, our favorite, splitting pills with a different ‘regimen’ of
intake. Sounds a lot like we just put poor Virginia back in the box
by reducing the amount of drugs she takes.
·Dr.
Piette doesn’t ignore the contribution of the ‘free’ programs of
large drug companies, although he fails to cite Pfizer’s recent
decision to cut its program back for low-income seniors.
Understandable,
since they might have to cut something from their advertising and lobbying
budgets. And they probably have to ante up something for former
Representative Billy Tauzin’s $2 million payoff (oops, make that
salary) for his excellent work with the Bush Administration
Prescription Drug Card Plan, which incidentally the Doctor does not
even mention.
But, then again, he
also doesn’t mention what remains the
best option for America’s seniors…reliable, professional, registered
and licensed Canadian pharmacies, like Universal Drug Store that has
committed to a broad educational outreach and service to remove
Virginia from her dilemma.