Democratic Rep. Bobby Bright has scheduled a "Health Care Summit" tomorrow afternoon in Dothan. In advance, residents of his district have been pummeled with ads from the drug industry. I received this glossy two-page mailing encouraging me to "Call Bobby Bright and ask him to keep fighting for better health care in Alabama" (emphasis mine). So what's up with this? The mailing (and the matching TV ad campaign) are from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, for Healthcare Leadership Council. Hmmm. The wording makes it appears to be a campaign piece for Bright's 18-months from now re-election bid: BB "is working", BB's "highest priority is...", and BB "will fight". Yet you have to wonder when the people who are in the business of selling drugs and health care services are seemingly supporting the former Montgomery Mayor, who's looking out for the consumers of those products and services? Yet if Bright's already in their favor, why the ad campaign? Do they see him as in danger of falling off the drug company waggon, and the ads are an intervention of sorts??
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May 27, 2009
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Democratic Rep. Bobby Bright has scheduled a "Health Care Summit" tomorrow afternoon in Dothan. In advance, residents of his district have been pummeled with ads from the drug industry. I received this glossy two-page mailing encouraging me to "Call Bobby Bright and ask him to keep fighting for better health care in Alabama" (emphasis mine). So what's up with this? The mailing (and the matching TV ad campaign) are from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, for Healthcare Leadership Council. Hmmm. The wording makes it appears to be a campaign piece for Bright's 18-months from now re-election bid: BB "is working", BB's "highest priority is...", and BB "will fight". Yet you have to wonder when the people who are in the business of selling drugs and health care services are seemingly supporting the former Montgomery Mayor, who's looking out for the consumers of those products and services? Yet if Bright's already in their favor, why the ad campaign? Do they see him as in danger of falling off the drug company waggon, and the ads are an intervention of sorts??
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One need not be a brain scientist or rocket surgeon to figure out that every time the American people have been told that insurance companies would "keep costs down," instead, they've risen... and in some cases, exponentially.
ReplyDeleteRemember when HMOs were all the rage, being a "new(s)" thing?
Here's how it worked: Insurance companies courted physicians to participate in their organization, and by so doing, were using the ploy of "keeping costs down," with which they - the insurance companies - would share with the participating physicians as a type of profit sharing agreement.
In essence, the insurance companies were encouraging the physicians to order fewer tests and procedures, etc., which decrease costs, and frequently increase profit margins. Philosophically, it's not necessary to order many tests to make a diagnosis, and to do so (order excessive tests) is not only impractical, but unethical because it burdens patients and resources.
Now, HMOs and PPOs are the giant blackmailers of American healthcare, whom deny payments to physicians AND patients, and REFUSE treatment for patients. An old joke once asked, "What's the difference between an HMO, PPO and the PLO?" Answer, "You can negotiate with the PLO." It's still sad and true.
Of course, it's just as sad to say that one way insurance companies make money is by NOT paying claims.
One way the health care system could be improved is to allow patients the FREEDOM to self-refer, rather than REQUIRING them to be REFERRED by another physician. For example, in Alabama, it's ILLEGAL for ANYONE to go to a Physical Therapist WITHOUT a referring physician's order. How crazy is that!? A PT is a licensed and educated health care professional... but you can't see 'em unless "Papa Doc" (or Mama Doc) sez "hmmm... okay," and whips out the prescription pad.
As well, Nurse Practitioners (here's MY personal soap box) whom have prescriptive authority are REQUIRED to be monitored by a collaborative practice physician at LEAST 10% of their time, thus requiring the physician to be PHYSICALLY PRESENT 10% of the CRNP/NP's time/office hours.
That represents a 10% REDUCTION in the physician's ability to see patients, and is an insult to the NPs whom must pass STRINGENT National Boards... JUST LIKE their physician counterparts.
Is it good or desirable to REDUCE physicians' patient time?
It does seem, however, that single payer is the wave of the future, and I can't say that I disagree with it. It's NOT socialist... unless police, fire and sanitation are socialist. And, our governments seem to do a good job of operating the judicial, executive and legislative branches, as well as the military, intelligence and a host of other agencies. (That's not to say they're perfect, of course.) So I don't think anyone would want to privatize the armed services, or the judiciary.
Rhetorically, how can a company operate for-profit by providing the SAME EXACT services the government does... unless they DON'T - pay or provide equal or better services? A single payer non-profit co-op at the national level would be a potential solution. Our veterans receive such! And their model is outstanding not only in information security but other areas of care and operation.
But I do mention this quite seriously: the burden of paper shuffling INCREASES costs because it requires someone to shuffle paper. For the times I've ever required physician services, I've paid cash. You'd be AMAZED at the reduced costs I've paid and the reduced paperwork I've filled out. That's the ONLY reason Social Security numbers and warrantor information is required. They want to be ASSURED they'll be paid... because the insurance company most likely won't fully compensate at the rate reasonably charged.
Pharmaceutical ads ought to be outlawed. The US and Portugal (I think) are the only countries that allow the pharma companies to push their drugs on TV. Those ads account for a great deal of the folks who are on medicines they don't need. Also, I read a letter from a doctor in the BHAM News recently who clearly stated that doctors get kick backs for every prescription they write. That explains why they tried to put my husband on Seroquel when he went in for excessive tiredness a few months ago. That is a drug for schizophrenia and the like...not excessive tiredness.
ReplyDeleteThe pharma lobby is the largest and most well funded lobby in the US. They practically control the government and have lobbied for the laws that put cancer patients and others in jail for using marijuana instead of taking their poison.
Actually, Loretta, psychotropic refers to drugs, medications or substances that affect one's mental state. Marijuana clearly falls into that category, as does ETOH, or ethanol alcohol - beverage alcohol.
ReplyDeleteQuetiapine, sold under the brand name "Seroquel," has a variety of indications (cases in which the medication is used to treat the condition(s)), not the least of which is depression.
Frankly, when you wrote "That [quetiapine] is a drug for schizophrenia and the like..." it completely ignores efficacy in, and indicated use for depression, acute manic episodes of bipolar disorder as well. It may be used solo, or in adjunct therapy.
Quetiapine has antidepressive, antimanic and antipsychotic properties, but is NOT an antipsychotic medication per se. I won't bore the readers with mechanisms of action or the pharmacodynamics/kinetics, the discussion of which would be for an entirely different audience.
However, from a diagnostician's perspective, "excessive tiredness" (as you write) is a CLASSIC hallmark of depression, when no other apparent causes exist.
As with any medications, it's important to take the medication precisely as prescribed, be completely honest about all medications, drugs (legal or illegal) or beverage alcohol consumed (because they may affect the medication's usefulness) and to alert your healthcare provider of any unusual experiences while taking the medication, including suicidal ideations, increase in risk-taking behavior, agitation, worsening of depression, or unusual changes in behavior or mood.
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P.S. If there any strange dreams, such as, for example about eating a giant marshmallow, and upon awakening, find the pillow missing, it may be worth considering contacting a gastroenterologist! *LOL*
They shouldn't push drugs on people. If someone is sick they should see a doctor, get a check-up, and be prescribed with what they need.
ReplyDeleteKevin