Comments on: To Negotiate the Third-Party Payment Bureaucracy, Don’t Get Cancer http://healthblog.ncpa.org/to-negotiate-the-third-party-payment-bureaucracy-don%e2%80%99t-get-cancer/ Health Care Policy and Reform Insights | NCPA Fri, 25 May 2012 14:14:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Neil H. http://healthblog.ncpa.org/to-negotiate-the-third-party-payment-bureaucracy-don%e2%80%99t-get-cancer/comment-page-1/#comment-62874 Neil H. Wed, 12 May 2010 13:06:49 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=10527#comment-62874 According to the WHO, 25,000 British patient die prematurely each year because they do not get the cancer drugs that are available elsewhere in Europe and in the United States. So becoming English and expecting free care could be a lethal choice. According to the WHO, 25,000 British patient die prematurely each year because they do not get the cancer drugs that are available elsewhere in Europe and in the United States.

So becoming English and expecting free care could be a lethal choice.

]]> By: Linda Gorman http://healthblog.ncpa.org/to-negotiate-the-third-party-payment-bureaucracy-don%e2%80%99t-get-cancer/comment-page-1/#comment-62734 Linda Gorman Tue, 11 May 2010 21:41:01 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=10527#comment-62734 According to The Wall Street Journal, Medicare has a similar problem with IV antibiotics. Part A only pays for hospital administered IVs. If you have a condition that lets you use one of the new backpack setups, Medicare won't pay for it unless you have Part B coverage. The backpack systems cost a lot less. They also mean that people don't have to be hospitalized. Only have Part A? Tough. Private insurers will cover pumps because they save them money. Government spendings other people's money so there is no urgency to change artificial divisions that cost hundreds of thousands a year. According to The Wall Street Journal, Medicare has a similar problem with IV antibiotics. Part A only pays for hospital administered IVs. If you have a condition that lets you use one of the new backpack setups, Medicare won’t pay for it unless you have Part B coverage. The backpack systems cost a lot less. They also mean that people don’t have to be hospitalized. Only have Part A? Tough.

Private insurers will cover pumps because they save them money. Government spendings other people’s money so there is no urgency to change artificial divisions that cost hundreds of thousands a year.

]]> By: artk http://healthblog.ncpa.org/to-negotiate-the-third-party-payment-bureaucracy-don%e2%80%99t-get-cancer/comment-page-1/#comment-62731 artk Tue, 11 May 2010 21:20:36 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=10527#comment-62731 The referenced article discusses Xeloda. Another alternative would be to be English and get it from their National Health Service for free. It's an approved drug. The referenced article discusses Xeloda. Another alternative would be to be English and get it from their National Health Service for free. It’s an approved drug.

]]> By: Neil H. http://healthblog.ncpa.org/to-negotiate-the-third-party-payment-bureaucracy-don%e2%80%99t-get-cancer/comment-page-1/#comment-62728 Neil H. Tue, 11 May 2010 21:02:30 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=10527#comment-62728 artk: You are forgetting John Goodman's proposal to create special accounts for chronic patients. There is no reason why the insurance company needs to control all the money. Think casualty insurance - similar to what you have on you home or automobile. A catastrophic event triggers a payment to the insured, who then makes his own buying decisions. artk: You are forgetting John Goodman’s proposal to create special accounts for chronic patients. There is no reason why the insurance company needs to control all the money.

Think casualty insurance – similar to what you have on you home or automobile. A catastrophic event triggers a payment to the insured, who then makes his own buying decisions.

]]> By: artk http://healthblog.ncpa.org/to-negotiate-the-third-party-payment-bureaucracy-don%e2%80%99t-get-cancer/comment-page-1/#comment-62721 artk Tue, 11 May 2010 20:09:31 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=10527#comment-62721 Neil sez: "I think this is one huge argument for Health Savings Accounts" Sure, right. At a $5,000 a year HSA contribution, your five year cancer survival will only require 75 years to save up, assuming you don't have a single medical expense over those 75 years. Neil sez: “I think this is one huge argument for Health Savings Accounts”

Sure, right. At a $5,000 a year HSA contribution, your five year cancer survival will only require 75 years to save up, assuming you don’t have a single medical expense over those 75 years.

]]> By: Virginia http://healthblog.ncpa.org/to-negotiate-the-third-party-payment-bureaucracy-don%e2%80%99t-get-cancer/comment-page-1/#comment-62719 Virginia Tue, 11 May 2010 20:03:37 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=10527#comment-62719 I agree with Devon. This seems like an arbitrary distinction to make, especially when the alternative to a pill is an IV. Is it really more expensive to manufacture the pill or it is that the insurance companies are trying to exploit the distinction? You would think that if a pill were less expensive, they would all be on board. I agree with Devon.

This seems like an arbitrary distinction to make, especially when the alternative to a pill is an IV. Is it really more expensive to manufacture the pill or it is that the insurance companies are trying to exploit the distinction? You would think that if a pill were less expensive, they would all be on board.

]]> By: Neil H. http://healthblog.ncpa.org/to-negotiate-the-third-party-payment-bureaucracy-don%e2%80%99t-get-cancer/comment-page-1/#comment-62718 Neil H. Tue, 11 May 2010 19:54:40 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=10527#comment-62718 I think this is one huge argument for Health Savings Accounts. I think this is one huge argument for Health Savings Accounts.

]]> By: Devon Herrick http://healthblog.ncpa.org/to-negotiate-the-third-party-payment-bureaucracy-don%e2%80%99t-get-cancer/comment-page-1/#comment-62717 Devon Herrick Tue, 11 May 2010 19:37:18 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=10527#comment-62717 Considering the difference in reimbursement of intravenous oncology drugs versus cancer drugs in pill form, I'm surprised that drug makers even produce cancer drugs as tablets. Considering the difference in reimbursement of intravenous oncology drugs versus cancer drugs in pill form, I’m surprised that drug makers even produce cancer drugs as tablets.

]]> By: Ken http://healthblog.ncpa.org/to-negotiate-the-third-party-payment-bureaucracy-don%e2%80%99t-get-cancer/comment-page-1/#comment-62716 Ken Tue, 11 May 2010 19:35:30 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=10527#comment-62716 Hey, the patient might as well be in Britain or in Canada. Hey, the patient might as well be in Britain or in Canada.

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