Drug companies advertising on tv

[tinroofrusted]

Is this something new? I have really noticed an influx in the past year of so many drugs being advertised.

Whatever happened to letting doctors diagnose and prescribe?

Scary!

[anonymuse]

I agree with you. It has gone too far.

Now, people come into the doctor and say what about this medication for my high blood pressure, sleepless nights, or erectile dysfunction.

The first two examples, there have been medications around for years. However, the pharmaceutical companies are pushing the new and supposedly better medications that can cost $1-3 a day when there are tried and true remedies that cost pennies a day.

As for my last example, it's one of those to consider that people don't really discuss. It's based on the assumption that a lot of guys have this problem, they don't talk to their doctor about it, and they think there's nothing they can do about. These supposedly eductional messages are just a sales pitch to get patients to start talking to their doctors about it to increase their "vitality".

[FilingOnMyOwn]

Sadly, the doctors want this though. They want you crawling back every week like a crackhead for his fix.

[anonymuse]

I just reviewed the expenses I had for an outpatient procedure on my back.

Pre-Surgery (X-Ray, MRI, OV) = $1820 charged / $977 insurance allowed
Outpatient Surgery = $1697 charged / $ 830 insurance allowed
Total = $3517 charged / $1817 insurance allowed

Then, I got to pay my $500 deductible and 20% of what wasn't covered (about $750). Aren't I lucky I'm insured? The poor soul without insurance would have to pay the undiscounted $3517.

[tinroofrusted]

Sadly, the doctors want this though. They want you crawling back every week like a crackhead for his fix.

Exactly. And I have several family members who are hypochondriacs and think they have every illness and problem they see advertised on tv....

[jane taylor]

You wouldn't believe the number of prescriptions for Viagra in the nursing homes! And some insurance companies will cover Viagra but not birth control pills--unreal.

The doctors tried me on a couple of new meds last year with disastrous results!! I spent a lot of money and wasted a lot of time for nothing except horrible side effects.

Don't even get me started on this or I'll be on my soapbox for sure!

jane