The cost of medicines in the USA and here

[AJL308]

I keep seeing these constant posts on various forms of social media about the huge alleged cost of healthcare in the USA, the obvious point being that the evil/nazi Tories are going to sell the NHS to the USA wholesale which means we're all going to die from not being able to afford any medical care.

The latest one is that an ordinary asthma inhaler costs $250. However it would appear that may not actually be totally correct https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/primatene-mist-e...

What's the actual truth to all of this?

[AJL308]

geeman237 said:

rscott said:

In the US the cost can vary massively, depending on whether you have the brand name drug prescribed or a generic equivalent.

Albuterol (US name for salbutamol) can be anything from $0.40 to $12.10 for 10 nebuliser doses, depending on the brand name ( https://health.costhelper.com/albuterol-inhaler.ht... ).

Some pharmacists will dispense a generic when a branded version is prescribed, some won't.

I recently got a new Salbutamol brand inhaler here in the US. I’d had the US equivalent before. With my insurance deduction, a 200(?) dose inhaler (UK size I remember) it cost me about $40 I think.

So, essentially, its nowhere even close to $250.

Edit: this is the one which is currently being bunged on every social media platform going http://huffp.st/SjRVVbc

Edited by AJL308 on Thursday 5th December 10:15

[AJL308]

rscott said:

AJL308 said:

geeman237 said:

rscott said:

In the US the cost can vary massively, depending on whether you have the brand name drug prescribed or a generic equivalent.

Albuterol (US name for salbutamol) can be anything from $0.40 to $12.10 for 10 nebuliser doses, depending on the brand name ( https://health.costhelper.com/albuterol-inhaler.ht... ).

Some pharmacists will dispense a generic when a branded version is prescribed, some won't.

I recently got a new Salbutamol brand inhaler here in the US. I’d had the US equivalent before. With my insurance deduction, a 200(?) dose inhaler (UK size I remember) it cost me about $40 I think.

So, essentially, its nowhere even close to $250.

Edit: this is the one which is currently being bunged on every social media platform going http://huffp.st/SjRVVbc

Edited by AJL308 on Thursday 5th December 10:15

Nope, he quoted $40 as his cost AFTER the insurance contribution. So they key question is how much the insurance contribution actually is, so then we know how much the drug is actually costing over there.

Well, it's still $40. The point being, as you say, the end result after you've paid your annual health insurance premiums. The real issue is how to compare it to here. We have the NHS but pay a fk load more tax than the yanks. Does it matter whether you pay it in the form of higher taxes or as health insurance if it ends up being essentially the same amount overall?

On a personal note, I really just don't buy the guff that Is being spouted by the left that anyone is "selling" the NHS to the US drug companies. It's a complete load of horse st. No way in my lifetime is anyone in this country going to be paying £250 for an inhaler or paying £30k to drop a kid. It's utter fantasy for the young and the gullible.

[AJL308]

The Moose said:

rscott said:

If we agree that it's $40, then it's considerably more than the cost here - £9 ( NHS prescription fee).

However, what matters is how much the healthcare provider (be it insurance or NHS) pays for the drug in the first place.

The cost to the user could be as little as $0.

It can't as it has to be paid for by someone and that someone is the user who pays for it via their taxes.