FDA may allow OTC sales of prescription drugs

poppy · #21 04/30/12, 07:22 PM

The end result is people, including the elderly, will be paying more out of pocket because insurance will not pay for OTC drugs. Any way you slice it, healthcare will become more expensive for the majority.

InvalidID · #22 04/30/12, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppy

The end result is people, including the elderly, will be paying more out of pocket because insurance will not pay for OTC drugs. Any way you slice it, healthcare will become more expensive for the majority.

So what you're saying is there is a magic money fountain that currently pays for these meds? Because the money has to come from somewhere no matter which system you use. If it's not coming from the majority, where is it coming from?

arabian knight · #23 04/30/12, 07:34 PM

I bet that that many drugs that the elderly take even if they do take a few generics will not be in this mix, looks like most will be just for a few of the less ailment ones.
And with the Cholesterol ones there are plenty of them already and I bet not all be on that OTC list.
So this is not that a far reaching effect at all for the elderly. As moony take a lot that are not and can not have a generic equivalent. I know my mom and dad only have one or two drugs that are generic.
And I bet Blood Pressure, heart meds and such as that will not be OTC. So will not effect me. And a whole bunch of people out there as well.
Don't forget that a few years back Ibuprofen was only with a Doctor Prescriptions.
And now it is a very highly bought.
This will help things all the way around.

InvalidID · #24 04/30/12, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozarks Tom

IID, thanks for the medical info, but, I think I was being facetious. Maybe we need a smiley face symbol for that.

My bad.

plowjockey · #25 04/30/12, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InvalidID

Yes, telling you how long to take a drug for, reactions with other meds and such is EXACTLY what a pharmacist does. Do we have any here on HT who could speak up? I hope so.

Also, if you don't know the difference between pneumonia and an allergy you need more help than a Dr can provide.

Nonsense.

The Pharmicist knows the patient medical history, only from the Doctors scripts - nothing else.

It's true that they know interactions between drugs, but what if the patient uses more than one pharmacy? It's quite common.

plowjockey · #26 04/30/12, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlmcafee

Doctors kill a lot of people yearly in the US by miss diagnosis, and prescription errors. Do not get all gushy over their supposed record of stellar care.

It not being gushy, it's called living in the real world and yes, I'w well aware area that Doctors make mistakes. Your point makes no sense. Are Doctors less competent to prescribe drug that patients are to make their own decsions?

Most elderly people I know, barely keep track of what pills they are prescribed, let alone start making their own decisions, on what drug and how much to take.

poppy · #27 04/30/12, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InvalidID

So what you're saying is there is a magic money fountain that currently pays for these meds? Because the money has to come from somewhere no matter which system you use. If it's not coming from the majority, where is it coming from?

Do you actually believe the money people pay into insurance and Medicare will be less? The money fountain will still take the money in but stop spitting any out. Your medicine purchases will be EXTRA.

I'm not saying it is all a bad idea, just pointing out that for someone on a meager income who may have to suddenly pay $150.00 for a medication they were getting for a $25.00 copay might make the medication unaffordable for them.
that sort of flies in the face of what a guy named Obama promised when he said his programs would make healthcare less expensive. To be fair though, he never said who it would be cheaper for. I guess he meant government.

InvalidID · #28 04/30/12, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plowjockey

Nonsense.

The Pharmicist knows the patient medical history, only from the Doctors scripts - nothing else.

It's true that they know interactions between drugs, but what if the patient uses more than one pharmacy? It's quite common.

The patients medical history is NOT on the prescription. That's a complete fabrication.

What if they use 2 different pharmacies now? Same same...

InvalidID · #29 04/30/12, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppy

Do you actually believe the money people pay into insurance and Medicare will be less? The money fountain will still take the money in but stop spitting any out. Your medicine purchases will be EXTRA.

I'm not saying it is all a bad idea, just pointing out that for someone on a meager income who may have to suddenly pay $150.00 for a medication they were getting for a $25.00 copay might make the medication unaffordable for them.
that sort of flies in the face of what a guy named Obama promised when he said his programs would make healthcare less expensive. To be fair though, he never said who it would be cheaper for. I guess he meant government.

That's funny right there, I don't care who ya are!

But being serious again, cheaper for government is cheaper for me. Even if it doesn't slow the inflows it will at least slow the cost increases. You're concerned with the out of pocket cost to a few people but you aren't looking at the large cost of the system we have now. How much is a Drs visit to get a routine prescription? Around here it's about $125-$150. Co pay of $25 if you have insurance. How much is the prescription? Using your $125 estimate we're at $250 to $275 for a simple prescription that should cost $50 tops. So we're breaking even here by cutting out the middleman.

Also, I highly doubt that those medications will remain at 125 bucks a pop. Ibuprofen was a prescription not long ago and it's OTC now. It's also cheap. Prilosec is another example. OTC lowers cost as you reach a broader market.

poppy · #30 04/30/12, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InvalidID

That's funny right there, I don't care who ya are!

But being serious again, cheaper for government is cheaper for me. Even if it doesn't slow the inflows it will at least slow the cost increases. You're concerned with the out of pocket cost to a few people but you aren't looking at the large cost of the system we have now. How much is a Drs visit to get a routine prescription? Around here it's about $125-$150. Co pay of $25 if you have insurance. How much is the prescription? Using your $125 estimate we're at $250 to $275 for a simple prescription that should cost $50 tops. So we're breaking even here by cutting out the middleman.

Also, I highly doubt that those medications will remain at 125 bucks a pop. Ibuprofen was a prescription not long ago and it's OTC now. It's also cheap. Prilosec is another example. OTC lowers cost as you reach a broader market.

It's way more than a few people. Blood pressure meds are the most prescribed drug in the country and lots of people can only tolerate a certain one. Doesn't matter though. This is only the beginning. Medicare is going broke and it will continue to cover less and less out of necessity but government will never give up that revenue stream.

plowjockey · #31 04/30/12, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InvalidID

The patients medical history is NOT on the prescription. That's a complete fabrication.

What if they use 2 different pharmacies now? Same same...

That was my point - completely.

The patient's complete, or at least recent, medical history is IN THE HANDS OF THE DOCTOR. They know (or at at least supposed to) what recent ailments, surgerys, etc., what medicines, when, where and how much and how long.

The Pharmacist only knows what scripts the patient has recevied FROM THE DOCTOR WHO HAS THE MEDICAL RECORDS and know the patients medical history - little else.

InvalidID · #32 04/30/12, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plowjockey

That was my point - completely.

The patient's complete, or at least recent, medical history is IN THE HANDS OF THE DOCTOR. They know (or at at least supposed to) what recent ailments, surgerys, etc., what medicines, when, where and how much and how long.

The Pharmacist only knows what scripts the patient has recevied FROM THE DOCTOR WHO HAS THE MEDICAL RECORDS and know the patients medical history - little else.

Has your pharmacist ever called your Dr. for information? Mine has. Think they will still be able to do that? I think they will.

InvalidID · #33 04/30/12, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppy

It's way more than a few people. Blood pressure meds are the most prescribed drug in the country and lots of people can only tolerate a certain one. Doesn't matter though. This is only the beginning. Medicare is going broke and it will continue to cover less and less out of necessity but government will never give up that revenue stream.

I agree it's only the beginning. We have to make cuts one way or another.

I think government will give up the Medicare revenue stream when the people no longer see a benefit from paying it. If they cut too much and people feel like they aren't getting their moneys worth...

I hope they do.

poppy · #34 04/30/12, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InvalidID

Has your pharmacist ever called your Dr. for information? Mine has. Think they will still be able to do that? I think they will.

If they do that for the numbers of people involved, they will need to hire a lot more pharmacists. Maybe that's part of Obama's jobs program.

Then there is the problem with less doctor visits. When the pharmacist calls your doctor about your history, the doctor won't know about the migraines you self diagnosed and bought meds for 2 years ago or the blood pressure pills you've taken for over a year because your drunk cousin took your blood pressure and it was high. How could he know when you haven't been to see him in 3 years?

InvalidID · #35 04/30/12, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppy

If they do that for the numbers of people involved, they will need to hire a lot more pharmacists. Maybe that's part of Obama's jobs program.

Then there is the problem with less doctor visits. When the pharmacist calls your doctor about your history, the doctor won't know about the migraines you self diagnosed and bought meds for 2 years ago or the blood pressure pills you've taken for over a year because your drunk cousin took your blood pressure and it was high. How could he know when you haven't been to see him in 3 years?

If you don't remember what drugs you've bought for yourself you have problems.

I do agree we may see a need for more Pharmacists but it's cheaper than more Drs... I think.

plowjockey · #36 04/30/12, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InvalidID

Has your pharmacist ever called your Dr. for information? Mine has. Think they will still be able to do that? I think they will.

Your absolutely right. Mine has too.

But have you ever watched a Pharmacist fill a prescription? Most if the time, they would be lucky, to take more than two minutes to fill one and probably fill hundreds per day.

I just see more problems, than solutions, with DIY drug prescribing, which may just end making people more sick, than more healthy.

akane · #37 04/30/12, 08:40 PM

I wish all drugs were otc but I know too many idiots would kill themselves. All my doctor visits are and have been since I was about 18 years old is go tell the doctor what I want in what dose or what test I want run. I've been diagnosing and treating myself for nearing 10 years now. Every time I have to find a new doctor I have to go through their attempt to treat me their way, the failure, the miserable months, their utter frustration at why it doesn't work like it does in the book, and the inevitable acceptance that I know myself better than they do and I can research something just as well as they can with more desire to do so while they just prescribe what worked in the past or the drug reps sold them. Insurance is paying insane amounts for me to tell my psychiatrist to prescribe x, y, and z for insomnia I've had my whole life which takes about 10 mins and gets billed as 1hour.

InvalidID · #38 04/30/12, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plowjockey

Your absolutely right. Mine has too.

But have you ever watched a Pharmacist fill a prescription? Most if the time, they would be lucky, to take more than two minutes to fill one and probably fill hundreds per day.

I just see more problems, than solutions, with DIY drug prescribing, which may just end making people more sick, than more healthy.

See, now we're getting to the real issue. You think people need a nanny and I don't. You think we should protect people from themselves and I don't.

plowjockey · #39 04/30/12, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InvalidID

See, now we're getting to the real issue. You think people need a nanny and I don't. You think we should protect people from themselves and I don't.

Bully for you.

Should everybody be allowed to prescribe their own painkillers, also?

No need to protect people from themselves, right?

ryanthomas · #40 04/30/12, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plowjockey

I just see more problems, than solutions, with DIY drug prescribing, which may just end making people more sick, than more healthy.

That's pretty much the situation even with the doctors involved. If I had my way, 90% of prescription drugs would never be used. Most do more harm than good.