A Personal Story About Drug Prices in America: How Consumers Continue to Be Raped

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart 

I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure. All that is needed is for me to take a single five-milligram pill every morning. 

My wife and I cannot afford Medicare part “B” and belong to a group which finds medical services for people without insurance at a reduced cost when we pay for services rendered in full.  

A Perfect Example of how F**ked Up our Healthcare System has Become 

I picked up my prescription at a local, large, chain, pharmacy. I paid $25 for a one-month supply. We are also Costco members. We called their pharmacy and inquired about their prices. They do not have an agreement with our medical services company. However, a three- month supply of the same medication would cost me only $8.99 if we did not have insurance. We picked up my new prescription on Friday.  

The Moral of this Story is “Don’t Trust Government Sponsored Programs” 

There is some hope in America that some of our corporate retailers might do the right thing. It’s up to us, the consumers, to do the research and decide what is best for ourselves and our loved ones. 

Why are Seniors Forced to Pay for Healthcare? 

America is the only nation which fails to provide universal healthcare for everyone.  

More importantly, seniors, like me and my wife, paid into Medicare for between 40-50 years. Why are we forced to pay a monthly premium today? This is unforgivable. Add to this the fact that my wife and I could not afford Medicare part B when we were 65. If we signed up for part B today at the age of 78 and 74, we would be fined a huge amount of money. 

Our country is really messed up. It has never been “great,” and never will be with a dysfunctional and corrupt government. 

Op-ed by James Turnage 

Find my novels on Amazon’s Kindle 

Please follow my blog: “TheWiseOldFart”