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The primary issue with having a high list price with large discounts is that discounts off the retail price are typically negotiated by insurance companies and
by URSpider94 8y ago
The primary issue with having a high list price with large discounts is that discounts off the retail price are typically negotiated by insurance companies and government purchasers (Medicare, Medicaid). That leaves the most vulnerable portion of the population - the uninsured and under-insured - left to pay the full retail price. That's been true for almost all of medical care for a long time now.
- tssva 8y agoEven worse many times the "discount" or part of it is not a reduction in price but a refund from the drug company back to the insurer. So if you haven't met your deductible you may pay $300 for the drug but your insurance company is getting $100 refunded to them that goes into their coffers even though they expended nothing in the transaction. In fact if you don't submit the claim for the medication to your insurance you may be able to reap that $100 of savings yourself in the form of a discount. Until very recently when the law changed to prevent it the contracts insurance companies had with pharmacies prevented your pharmacist from telling you that a drug could be obtained cheaper by not using your insurance.