How Exactly? Can you document this claim? Drugs are cheaper in Canada for three reasons according to CBS News. 1. The exchange rate. For the last few years the Canadian dollar has hovered between 60 and 70 cents, giving Americans more bang for their greenback. 2. Canadian drug companies are not allowed to market their products directly to consumers. That's a substantial savings not realized south of the border, where so-called direct-to-consumer marketing has been allowed since 1997. According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, drug companies spent almost $3 billion on direct-to-consumer advertising – a price that gets passed on to the consumer. 3. The Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, a quasi-judicial body of the government created in 1987, reviews pharmaceutical prices and enacts reasonable caps for patented medicine prices.
Here is another reason health care is cheaper in other countries... http://www.aims.ca/library/MPPI_pharma-revised_.pdf Trial lawyers, something you probably won't find in MM's movie also. Here is a very good article on Canada vs USA http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/11/06/health/main582314.shtml the judge wrote. "However, the defendants are able to offer lower prices only because they facilitate illegal activity determined by Congress to harm the public interest." What a joke, congress, who can't get anything right. I think you could say the same statement and rule against Illegal aliens! Actually we shouldn't be talking healthcare. We should be addressing issues that causes people's health to decline such as this nations food supply. Look at the rising rates of hypertension, diabetes, etc caused by our food supply and other factors. Pick up a can of hormel chili, jar chili or frozen dinners and look at the amounts of sodium inside.
I continue to hear trial lawyers mentioned, but every study I read says they are NOT a big part of the problem. http://www.robertsilvey.com/notes/healthcare/index.html What would you do if you had a bad left leg and the dr. took off your right leg by mistake, then they had to go back and take off the left leg anyhow? It happens, what should that person do? Accept the dr. apology? There are valid cases where a lawsuit and damage award are totally appropriate. I have a great dr., and he thinks the problem is the health insurance companies and HMO's and their desire to make profits as a business, and if denying claims boosts profits, well lets get out there and deny some claims. There is an unseemly conflict of interest between saving lives and improving quality of life vs. making money. They'll only go so far, and if profit begins to suffer, the patients can't have as much care. We have a great heath care system for the rich, the middle class comes out ok, as long as nothing catastrophic occurs, and the poor come out poorly or die when serious things hit. We can and should do better.
Interesting... I wouldn't be opposed to some advertisement regulation for the drug industry. I'm completely against this. It is begging for corruption.
If you want to argue about how big this problem is you will have to look elsewhere but you can't tell me that it doesn't play some kind of role when discussing this topic. You are being less than honest when talking about this subject if this problem doesn't come up in the conversation somehow. It does play some kind of role, it has too! Gee Whiz, you take the most extreme aspect of a case?:lol: Really, no one is going after the legit cases in this country, thats not the issue, the issue is other cases where people sue and win over non-legit cases. Thats nice, just because one doctor, scientist, politician, etc. says something don't mean they are correct. Could it be that insurance rates are higher because of various reasons. 1) Hurricanes, floods, tornados, etc. 2) Everyone pays the price for various reasons including frivolous lawsuits. Matter of fact when something serious happens there are various places and things you can do or turn to for help, you make it sound like someone poor will die if they are poor. It is also the best system in the world, its not perfect, nothing in this world is perfect! If you can find a better system please let us know, honestly, MM and his crowd aren't honest! The last thing we need is the government getting involved and ruining our system!
The two biggest reasons why health care costs has skyrocketed are medical advancements and people living longer. And if anyone doesn't think lawsuits play a major role is just living in a fantasy world. Look at what malpractice insurance cost these days and how doctors in small communities simply can't afford it. Then there is all the waste and abuse in the system. Finally, the insurance industry has become a rip off artist. I don't see how universal health care would fix any of the things I mentioned. It would simply add another layer to an already expensive system. Sure, it would cover people who don't have insurance, but at whose expense? Yep, me. It's a complicated issue with no easy answers. But it's worthy of a debate in this country.
big scary corporations might hurt us with their words. god forbid we ****ing learn to think for ourselves.
