How much would healthcare cost?

[Bubba]

I was thinking, after watching some TV...

Wouldn't healthcare be a whole lot cheaper for all of us if every other commercial on TV wasn't for some drug that you are supposed to ask your doctor about? Also, aren't most of the major magazines filled with full page, full color ads about the same drugs? In fact, I think I have seen TV advertising about some drug that tells you to look for their ad in some magazine on the newstands now!

It seems to me that healthcare in general would cost a lot less if the drug companies stopped spending millions and 10's of millions of dollars on national advertising.

OK, that is my rant for this morning, I'm done for awhile....

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by Bubba

I was thinking, after watching some TV...

Wouldn't healthcare be a whole lot cheaper for all of us if every other commercial on TV wasn't for some drug that you are supposed to ask your doctor about? Also, aren't most of the major magazines filled with full page, full color ads about the same drugs? In fact, I think I have seen TV advertising about some drug that tells you to look for their ad in some magazine on the newstands now!

It seems to me that healthcare in general would cost a lot less if the drug companies stopped spending millions and 10's of millions of dollars on national advertising.

OK, that is my rant for this morning, I'm done for awhile....

I guess...but since you live in a somewhat capitalistic society they are free to be able to advertise. I guess tobacco companies would be able to sell cigs cheaper too if they didn't spend billions of dollars on advertising....

[Bubba]

But, what I don't get is why advertise something that you and I can't go out and buy? These drugs have to be prescribed by a doctor. Let them advertise to doctors and the doctors can decide what drugs will help us with our illnesses.

[wordsmythe]

Originally Posted by Bubba

But, what I don't get is why advertise something that you and I can't go out and buy? These drugs have to be prescribed by a doctor. Let them advertise to doctors and the doctors can decide what drugs will help us with our illnesses.

That's WHY they advertise.

If a doctor reads about a drug in an advertisement or even in a journal they MIGHT think about using it. But if 10% of their patients come in asking about the drug they are more likely to start prescribing it.

If the drug companies don't tell you about Restless Leg Syndrome and similar "conditions" how are you going to know you have it? Much less that you can be cured of it?

If you can't sleep at night how are you going to know that you could get non addictive Rozerum so you can get back to seeing your beaver at night?

The drug companies love to name things that are "syndromes" and "conditions" because it scares people. Frightened people will do pretty much anything to NOT be scared anymore, including shelling out tons of money for enough pills to make them sound like maracas when they walk.

Is it good Health?

Likely not.

Is it good for business?

Hell yeah it is.

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by wordsmythe

That's WHY they advertise.

If a doctor reads about a drug in an advertisement or even in a journal they MIGHT think about using it. But if 10% of their patients come in asking about the drug they are more likely to start prescribing it.

If the drug companies don't tell you about Restless Leg Syndrome and similar "conditions" how are you going to know you have it? Much less that you can be cured of it?

If you can't sleep at night how are you going to know that you could get non addictive Rozerum so you can get back to seeing your beaver at night?

The drug companies love to name things that are "syndromes" and "conditions" because it scares people. Frightened people will do pretty much anything to NOT be scared anymore, including shelling out tons of money for enough pills to make them sound like maracas when they walk.

Is it good Health?

Likely not.

Is it good for business?

Hell yeah it is.

Right...they "plant" things in your mind to make you think..hmm..that could be me. It's good business if you are a drug company. They also have reps that go around to doctors, feed them, give them stuff etc trying to get them to use their drugs. It's a business and in business you advertise.

[Highwayman]

Hell must be freezing over because I find myself agreeing with both Bubba and Wordy at the same time.

One of my beefs is that most doctors seem to only get informed on the wonderful things about the drugs from the drug company rep and never check for themselves about potential bad side effects. The doctor then wastes hundreds or thousands of dollars running tests looking for some other problem or prescribing another drug to “fix” what just stopping the first drug would fix. And you get to be the lab rat for these experiments and left responsible for the bills.

I view a doctor as a service provider. Normally before you contract any kind of work like auto repairs or home repairs you get to talk to the service provider first and if you don’t like what they have to say you can go somewhere else without getting stuck with a bill. But to interview a doctor you have to pay for an office call and doctors bill anywhere from $300 to $600 an hour for that 10 minute visit. Even most lawyers will give you the first 30 minutes free.

[wordsmythe]

Originally Posted by Highwayman

Hell must be freezing over because I find myself agreeing with both Bubba and Wordy at the same time.

See, climate change is real.

[Detector]

When ever I've suggested a drug, from a TV ad, to a doctor they've always suggested something else. I've never understood why these drug company's advertise to the public myself since it's the doctor that chooses what to prescribe.

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by Highwayman

But to interview a doctor you have to pay for an office call and doctors bill anywhere from $300 to $600 an hour for that 10 minute visit. Even most lawyers will give you the first 30 minutes free.

Well...I would say a portion of that costs goes to liability insurance that they have to carry because everyone is always looking for a fast buck to sue the Dr. In the long run we all pay for it.

[Highwayman]

I hear you on the lawsuits driving up the costs of healthcare Army, but honestly some of those doctors truly deserve it.