Type 1 Nhs

joshluck

Well-Known Member
Messages
55
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
If the NHS becomes private and you have to start paying, what would people be looking at in costs for insulin (levemir, novarapid) and strips?
 

noblehead

Guru
Retired Moderator
Messages
23,618
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Disrespectful people
It won't happen @joshluck , it would be a very brave & foolish government that tried to privatise the NHS in its entirety.
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
It's not going to become private. Don't forget GPs are already private. I can envision a time when we may have to pay a set fee to see the GP unless on benefits but apart from that and a few other possible minimum charges I can't see it happening. For info have a look at USA insulin charges which I think run into £100s for a five-pack cartridge set but drug costs in the USA are far more than in the UK.
 

covknit

Well-Known Member
Messages
467
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Other
If the NHS becomes private and you have to start paying, what would people be looking at in costs for insulin (levemir, novarapid) and strips?
It is pretty certain we would base the system on the American model. Someone like @TheBigNewt could advise what the figures are. I think the American system does have a way of limiting the drug company charges that is not emulated in the UK and we only have a population of 63million and will not have so much "buying power" room to bring pressure to lower costs in introducing that provision so you may want to give a "mark up" for an additional charge. You may want to introduce a deduction for a theoretical drop in taxes as the American system of taxes, state tax and health insurance premiums has a lower average personal per head cost than the amount of tax, ni and vat the average brit pays.
May has announced she will be selling "underused NHS assets" and the NHS landbank but I cannot find any detail about that anywhere. It is unlikely that your individual vote will sway anything has there are only 48 seats in the entire country where this much lauded tatical voting concept will have any bearing.
 
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TorqPenderloin

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,599
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
. For info have a look at USA insulin charges which I think run into £100s for a five-pack cartridge set but drug costs in the USA are far more than in the UK.
Figures like that are technically true but almost no one pays those kinds of numbers. That's a big part of the problem.

Drug companies have to stay in business and it's extremely expensive to get a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Once it's approved, they then have to market it which is why diabetes commercials seem to run on every TV channel.

Health Insurance plans pay the bulk of the retail cost. However, they try to negotiate better prices with the drug companies. That only drives the retail cost up further.

-So you have a drug company that may retail a drug for $100.
-Their margin may be $99.85 on that drug.
-However, they likely had to spend millions of dollars on years of trails and testing. That brings the margin down to $80 (and usually much much lower at first)
-Then subtract their Marketing and SG&A expenses so doctors and patients can learn about it. That brings the margin down to $50
-Then they have to negotiate with insurance companies that want better pricing if they use that company exclusively. Cut the margin down to $25
-Then the pharmacy wants their cut who are private companies that distribute drugs. That brings it down to $15
-I believe that patent laws only allow a drug to be protected for 12 years in the US so that also means they're on a time clock before other companies can produce a generic version.

At that point you have a drug that may cost 15 cents to manufacture, but so much money is distributed out to different places that the drug company isn't making nearly as much as it seems.

Unfortunately, what happens is that a small portion of the population within the USA don't have insurance and/or make too much money to qualify for government assistance so they're stuck paying those retail prices.

Even still, there are plenty of generic drugs available for a very low cost. A vial of insulin can be had here for about $25 which could last you more than a money.