What happens if you have no ins or no job or a very low income? What you paid in medical bills is more than I earn in a yearI suppose it depends how you look at it.
Personally, I consider myself extremely fortunate that I don't have to deal with a healthcare system like the NHS.
Yes, I do have to pay for a small percentage of my prescriptions (For example, 800 Accu-Chek Aviva test strips costs me about 35GBP), my doctor's visits (about 12GBP), and a small % of my hospital bills (last year I paid about 800GBP). In total I spent about 3,000 GBP out of my pocket on medical costs in 2015. That may seem like a lot. HOWEVER, I pay about 20,000 GBP less in taxes here in the US than I would in the UK. Plus, I have access to (what I consider to be) the highest quality of healthcare in the world.
That's a trade-off I'd take 10 out of 10 times.
Plus, I have access to (what I consider to be) the highest quality of healthcare in the world.
Great question! Prescriptions aren’t any cheaper or more expensive depending on what they treat. The cost is based on whether or not the drug is covered, and whether or not there is a generic offered.Fair point, but what about emergency medical care, if you need to get rushed into hospital? And what about prescriptions for other things? It's really good that because of the diabetes, all my prescriptions are free - I could go for a chest infection, and my antibiotics will be free too
Also a great question! Very low income people don’t have a problem here in the US as Medicaid assists them, and Medicare assists the elderly. The problem in the US is when you make just enough money to not qualify for government assistance, but your employer doesn’t offer a healthcare insurance plan. Those are the people who suffer the most in my country.What happens if you have no ins or no job or a very low income? What you paid in medical bills is more than I earn in a year
When our NHS works it's the best in the world, unfortunately like all big organisations things don't always go to plan.
Absolutely a matter of opinion and I respect yours as much as you respect mine.Without wishing to get into a debate (because I have no idea in reality about anything other than the nhs) and because you were gracious enough to be very explicit that you are expressing your opinion, in the interests of balance, while you might be lucky enough to have access to the highest quality healthcare, I'm not sure the same can be said of the system in the us. Certainly the World Health Organisation ranking of health systems puts the UK at 18 while the USA is at 37.
Also, I admit that part of what I am grateful for in the nhs is the socialist aspect - I see Americans on FB groups posting insulin to others who can't afford to pay for their insulin. I'm really grateful that no one has to do that here.
I had the same problem with my GP when I was first diagnosed. They couldn't understand that I had to test at least 4 times a day and didn't seem to understand that I had to test before each meal and before bed at night. That's the minimum. So I wrote to my GP explaining why I needed more test strips and they then increased my prescription to 150 per month, which is OK but doesn't allow me to test after every meal but I don't feel I need to as I know what best to eat to control my BG.I hate the fact that I only get 2 boxes at a time because the GPs are totally anal about monitoring how much I'm using them. It's so frustrating when it takes 3 days to clear, then I get two boxes which, if I'm lucky, last me a fortnight. Its such a pain!
Exactly, you can't flippin win!!
Probably not, my GP, as lovely as they are, aren't very clued up on the ol' diabetes!
I'd be very interested in @noblehead 's letter!
Now what you want to do is grab a spare box on ebay, some brilliant deals on there if you can get them.via auction, or if desperate at the pharmacy just buy 10 strips for £7 to last you a couple days or so.So I ran out of test strips on Saturday - I stupidly ordered my repeat prescription too late & so got to weekend & was like, "oh".
Anyway, rather than waste an emergency doctor's appointment, which someone would genuinely have needed, I decided to pootle off to Asda pharmacy & just buy a box of strips. I was not, however, prepared for how much they would cost - £30 for 50 strips!
I swear I literally stopped breathing momentarily! I couldn't believe it.
After I paid for them & left, it suddenly hit me how fortunate we are to have a health care system/government who don't make us pay for our prescriptions where a serious medical condition is involved - in other countries they pay a fortune in medical insurance to cover the cost of the items we take for granted.
At £30 for a box of test strips, I dread to think how much my insulin, or pump supplies would cost me. Especially when you consider, as a diabetic, how quickly you go through your supplies!
So it was definitely one of those moments where, despite so many memebers of the public (most of whom do not have a serious health condition) ***** & moan about the NHS, I realised just how much of a gift it really is!
It's an interesting one though. Yes, you don't have to pay a huge amount, but your employer is paying vast sums for your medical insurance, making the cost of doing business higher, and in the event that your job goes, so does your medical cover. Then you are on your own, and all of those necessities suddenly look a lot more expensive. That's where the system seems totally the wrong way around.Yes, I do have to pay for a small percentage of my prescriptions (For example, 800 Accu-Chek Aviva test strips costs me about 35GBP), my doctor's visits (about 12GBP), and a small % of my hospital bills (last year I paid about 800GBP). In total I spent about 3,000 GBP out of my pocket on medical costs in 2015. That may seem like a lot. HOWEVER, I pay about 20,000 GBP less in taxes here in the US than I would in the UK. Plus, I have access to (what I consider to be) the highest quality of healthcare in the world.
It is interesting to say the least. Losing my job is definitely something I've always planned ahead for, but I wouldn't necessarily be without health insurance. We have something called COBRA that allows me to continue my previous employer's health insurance coverage for up to 18 months if I leave or am terminated. The only kicker is that I have to pay up to 100% of the monthly premiums which currently are between $600-700/month. Another option would be to find a cheaper public plan with less coverage if I expected to find a new job very quickly. The third option (in my case) would be to join my girlfriend's health insurance through her employer.It's an interesting one though. Yes, you don't have to pay a huge amount, but your employer is paying vast sums for your medical insurance, making the cost of doing business higher, and in the event that your job goes, so does your medical cover. Then you are on your own, and all of those necessities suddenly look a lot more expensive. That's where the system seems totally the wrong way around.
Just wow! Those Levemir packs cost £60 in the UK and the retail cost of the Aviva strips is £40 including postage. I just don't buy the line that it's the high price of business and what leads to new technologies. Both the Aviva test strips and Levemir are >10 years old. And neither cost that much around the rest of the world. And if you look a the R&D spend of the associated companies, they also don't justify that level of cost! That is most certainly a sharp practice being undertaken.Levemir 5-pack disposable pens: ~$1100/765£
Accu-Chek Aviva 100-pack test strips: $175/121£
The difficulty being that this level of care is only really available to those with the top level of health insurance... In the NHS model, the highest level of care within the NHS is available to anyone. It might not be the highest possible level of care on a global basis, but it means that a very high level of care is available to all, rather than just those who can afford the right level of insurance.I've also seen the other side and how receiving the top level of care can save lives that may not have been possible in other countries.
Now what you want to do is grab a spare box on ebay, some brilliant deals on there if you can get them.via auction, or if desperate at the pharmacy just buy 10 strips for £7 to last you a couple days or so.
Oh yes, now you mention about costs of all your other medication, that's what you pay national insurance contributions for.
@zoze_j I agree with you on how fortunate we are to have the NHS. I don't suppose you will forget to re-order in time again, but if you do you might consider buying an Accu Chek Mobile meter at ASDA instead. They were costing £17 at ASDA a few weeks ago. I bought two. They contain a test strip cartridge which will do 50 tests.
Also remember breaking an insulin pen needle years ago and needing to get myself a disposable syringe from a UK chemist when out on a day trip away from home. The chemist was great and just gave me a pack of 5 syringes at no cost.
It is interesting to say the least. Losing my job is definitely something I've always planned ahead for, but I wouldn't necessarily be without health insurance. We have something called COBRA that allows me to continue my previous employer's health insurance coverage for up to 18 months if I leave or am terminated. The only kicker is that I have to pay up to 100% of the monthly premiums which currently are between $600-700/month. Another option would be to find a cheaper public plan with less coverage if I expected to find a new job very quickly. The third option (in my case) would be to join my girlfriend's health insurance through her employer.
Obviously, this is something I've thought about and I began setting aside additional savings as soon as I was diagnosed at the end of last year. In my line of work (financial planning) it's one of the most significant costs I help people plan for.
Perhaps the best way to compare the two healthcare systems is to say that the US offers an extremely wide range of levels of care while the NHS seems to offer a consistent level of care to everyone. I do agree that it's unfortunate that the system fails some people in the US, but I've also seen the other side and how receiving the top level of care can save lives that may not have been possible in other countries.
Side note: I do agree that it's sad how inflated the retail drug costs in the US are, but I understand that it's the high price of the business and what leads to new technology, treatments, and cures. I know others may feel differently, but I'd rather it cost money and save lives than the other way around.
A couple retail prices from memory:
Levemir 5-pack disposable pens: ~$1100/765£
Accu-Chek Aviva 100-pack test strips: $175/121£
Dexcom G5 Transmitter (3-month life): $823/572£
The contour next test strips are on amazon for just under £15 if you ever need more. I tend to put the repeat request in for more strips when one complete box left, this save ever running out. My GP is fab and allows me to order as and when I require test strips and can have 200 at a time.I didn't think to look on Ebay!
Yes, but I do feel for the rest of the public who pay NI and prescription fees
The contour next test strips are on amazon for just under £15 if you ever need more. I tend to put the repeat request in for more strips when one complete box left, this save ever running out. My GP is fab and allows me to order as and when I require test strips and can have 200 at a time.
If they started that lark with me I would do as I did many years ago with another GP. Made an apt to see the GP and explained I needed an urgent meds review, ask that they removed the insulin as wouldn't be requiring it any more as test strips were restricted I could not safely inject insulin any more. I then got up and walked out didn't give him a chance to comment. I never had a problem after that.Ooh thanks for that! Usually I am very good and do what you do - order when I open my last pack - but I dropped the ball this time.
I'm going to take @noblehead 's letter into the doctors with my in a bid to get my repeat prescription allowance upped. Well, I say repeat - it's actually on acute. Apparently they won't put it on repeat because they're "monitoring" my usage...!
If they started that lark with me I would do as I did many years ago with another GP. Made an apt to see the GP and explained I needed an urgent meds review, ask that they removed the insulin as wouldn't be requiring it any more as test strips were restricted I could not safely inject insulin any more. I then got up and walked out didn't give him a chance to comment. I never had a problem after that.
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