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  • Anonymous
      Post count: 93172

      There was a big hullabaloo in this country a few years ago when some members of Congress discovered that pharmaceutical companies paid incentives to doctors to encourage them to prescribe their medication over another company’s. Like anything else, I’m sure that there are some “bad apples” in the bunch who might be influenced by incentives, but I don’t think it’s the norm. I worked for 5 doctors over 7 years and I never saw them favor one drug over another because of perks they were given by pharmaceutical reps. Frankly, much of the stuff they were given was junk. (Although they sometimes were asked to participate in focus groups for which they were compensated, one doctor told me that the participants didn’t hold back their criticism just because a company was sponsoring it).

      I guess I’m lucky, but I’ve been seeing the same Family Practitioner for 11 years. I have been on four different insurances, and he’s always treated me the same regardless. I’m currently on an HMO, yet he hasn’t changed me from the “expensive” antihistamine or neglected to refer me to a specialist if he feels I need it. I know that health care “rationing” does occur with many doctors or HMOs, but there are doctors out there who participate in HMOs who don’t treat you differently than their private patients.

      BTW, I had my Ophthalmologist appointment Monday and it was good! He did notice some dryness in both eyes, but no signs of glaucoma or cataracts and no swelling or other abnormalities. He said it will make a good baseline for the future. Also, the Optometrist in his office is going to work with me to try to find a brand of contacts that my dry eyes can tolerate. Hopefully, I’ll be able to go back to contacts soon.

      Thanks all,

      CB

      Anonymous
        Post count: 93172

        You are evidently not involved in managed care. There is increasing
        management of medical care annually. Many HMO’s now own PBM’s or
        pharmacy benefit management companies that are in turn owned by drug
        companies. They have a list of preferred drugs, theirs, of course,
        that are the only ones that they will pay for. If you want your former
        medication, you will have to pay for it yourself. They also regulate
        how often and what medical tests and procedures you can have.
        There was a recent article on this in a national magazine which I
        previously posted about. ‘Money’ in July?
        The pharmacy trend is going to be in every HMO soon. We are rapidly
        programming the formulary or list of approved drugs into the systems.
        That is what I get paid to do.
        First hand knowledge.
        Thank MERCK for this one.

        Anonymous
          Post count: 93172

          My insurance is Healthsource, an HMO. There is no formulary list as of yet. Last year, there was a select list of meds that had a higher co-payment ($25), but they dropped that this year. Maybe that’s because our parent company went with them, so they now cover almost 8,000 employees instead of 1,400.

          I have a primary care physician who must refer me everywhere except to my OB/GYN. But as I said, he refers me if I need it, regardless of my insurance.

          CB

          Anonymous
            Post count: 93172

            My blood tests from last week show everything in perfectly normal range. Now I’m down to 2.5 mg of Tapazole twice a week. Cross your fingers that it works out this way and I don’t get hyper symptoms between doses. It’s been 2 1/2 long years.

            One of the best things about my Graves treatment has been this BB and the information and support found within. Thanks, you guys.

            Teresa

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