Purchasing Health Care — Keep Your Hand on Your Wallet

By T Michael White MD FACP

“The single most important ingredient in the recipe for success is transparency

because transparency builds trust.” Denise Morrison

fixingushealthcare.com

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Dear Mr. President, Honorable Members of Congress, Distinguished Staff and Fine Citizens,

As we journey towards our goal — affordable basic health care for all — let me, as a

confused consumer of heath care (despite my long career in medicine), share my observations regarding the purchase of health care.

Let me start by discussing my purchase of a 2024 Toyota Highlander Hybrid (Limited):

1. I review options and decide that that vehicle scratches my itch.

2. I go to Kelly Blue Book and ascertain that a fair purchase price for the model I desire is $47,908.

3. Being a savvy consumer, I investigate the cost to own for five years. Because interest, insurance, fuel economy and depreciation are salutary, the number supports my moving forward.

4. I go to the dealership and am pleased to find that my calculations and their selling price are in the same ballpark; and

5. After discussion with ‘she who must be obeyed,’ I either close the deal or walk away.

With a Highlander purchase as background, let me discuss my purchase of a 90-day

supply of my effective high blood pressure medication --- Cozaar (losartan) 100mg:

1. My insurance is Medicare Advantage.

2. My annual premium is most reasonable. A drug insurance plan is included;

3. Since I am prescribed the generic, I am delighted to be handed 90 tablets for zero co-pay. All good.

4. Trying to understand my good fortune, I read the fine print — for the uninsured the retail price would be $191.49. Whoa!

5. I ask the pharmacist if anyone pays the total freight? He answers, “some do, but most go to Good RX.com and get a coupon.” Going through that process, the retail price drops to $63.69 — a 67% savings. However, for one unaware of the coupon process, the charge would be $191.

So let us now apply my generic losartan logic to my Highlander purchase. A fair

purchase price would still be $48K but the sticker price would become $144K. A coupon would magically get the well informed into the $48K range. However, the unsuspecting (yes, one is still born every minute) would write a check for $144K. Toyota (even with a mask and gun) would not dare. However, U. S. health care does this daily.

My point — for losartan (and expand the concept to all health care products) the charge and the transparent fair purchase price must become essentially the same. If this were to be the case, basic health care would begin to make sense and would immediately become more affordable for all.

(Note: today GoodRX.com has a 50% off special — $63 = $31)

Respectfully submitted,

T Michael White MD FACP

fixingushealthcare.com

Copy to: We The People (at fixingushealthcare.com)