7 ms·

> In 2020, 8.6 percent of people, or 28.0 million, did not have health insurance at any point during the year[0]. [0]: https://www.census.gov/library/publicati

by ctoth 5y ago

> In 2020, 8.6 percent of people, or 28.0 million, did not have health insurance at any point during the year[0]. [0]: https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2021/demo/p60-274.html#:~:text=In%202020%2C%208.6%20percent%20of,part%20of%202020%20was%2091.4 https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2021/demo/p60-27....

PragmaticPulp 5y ago
Sure, but the example I highlighted didn't include insurance at all. Still half the price at Walmart. Nobody seems to be even checking the basic facts on this story. Everyone is so eager to dismiss anything insurance-related that they'll take all of the talking points at face value.
- ctoth 5y ago
  > Except nobody should actually be paying $22.80 for generic Prozac. You can drive to any local Walmart and get it for $4 and they will bill your insurance, which will count toward your deductible. Also there's a ton of stuff that I can buy for $5 at the store and get shipped to me for $10 (I don't own a car so am very aware of this sort of thing), so I'm not sure what the general complaint is here.
  - PragmaticPulp 5y ago
    Continue reading to the part where the same medication is $8.80 from Mark Cuban's pharmacy. The price at Walmart is less than half, regardless of whether or not insurance is involved. The deal is worse for the consumer whether or not insurance is involved.
    - cjbgkagh 5y ago
      I’d pay $5 not to drive. Plus could the shipping be amortized over number of items.
      - PragmaticPulp 5y ago
        > I’d pay $5 not to drive. Many normal pharmacies also have mail-order options. My neighborhood pharmacy includes free shipping, whereas Mark Cuban charges an extra $5. I'm baffled that so many people are consuming Mark Cuban's marketing/PR without questioning if it's really the cheapest option. It's like everyone read the press releases and just decided it sounds correct.
        CamperBob2 5y ago
        Many normal pharmacies also have mail-order options. Which are often very annoying to use. I have tried many times to get my pharmacy to deliver by mail. It typically works for a few months, then they stop bothering, or fail to request a refill until I call them, or mumble something about the drug not being legal to ship even though it was successfully delivered earlier by this pharmacy and by other mail-order pharmacies I've tried. There always seems to be some reason why it's necessary for me to drive down to the pharmacy, stand in line with a bunch of other customers during a pandemic, and grope around with various pens, styluses, and touchscreens that were previously handled by someone with who-knows-what infectious condition. Funny how that works. This business is well past ripe for disruption. It's like everyone read the press releases and just decided it sounds correct. Do you have any stake or interest in the pharmacy trade? It's like you're making the most negative possible assumption at every step of your argument, so turnabout seems to be fair play.
        pc86 5y ago
        When can we stop with the "during a pandemic" FUD? It's been well over two years. Everyone who is getting vaccinated is vaccinated. Vaccines and tests are widely available for free. At some point you need to stop being afraid of standing next to people in line. I'm triple vaxxed and have no problem with mask or vaccine mandates where they make sense. But stuff like "oh you want me to use a stylus in a pandemic?!?" or putting on a mask while you walk 10 feet to a restaurant table are just silly.
        5y ago
technofiend 5y ago
>In 2020, 8.6 percent of people, or 28.0 million, did not have health insurance at any point during the year OK. Is your point Mark should be trying to build a single insurance offering or marketplace that could serve them all? Not being confrontational, just genuinely curious if think his efforts are better spent there?

by ctoth 5y ago

PragmaticPulp 5y ago

Sure, but the example I highlighted didn't include insurance at all. Still half the price at Walmart. Nobody seems to be even checking the basic facts on this story. Everyone is so eager to dismiss anything insurance-related that they'll take all of the talking points at face value.

ctoth 5y ago
> Except nobody should actually be paying $22.80 for generic Prozac. You can drive to any local Walmart and get it for $4 and they will bill your insurance, which will count toward your deductible. Also there's a ton of stuff that I can buy for $5 at the store and get shipped to me for $10 (I don't own a car so am very aware of this sort of thing), so I'm not sure what the general complaint is here.
- PragmaticPulp 5y ago
  Continue reading to the part where the same medication is $8.80 from Mark Cuban's pharmacy. The price at Walmart is less than half, regardless of whether or not insurance is involved. The deal is worse for the consumer whether or not insurance is involved.
  - cjbgkagh 5y ago
    I’d pay $5 not to drive. Plus could the shipping be amortized over number of items.
    - PragmaticPulp 5y ago
      > I’d pay $5 not to drive. Many normal pharmacies also have mail-order options. My neighborhood pharmacy includes free shipping, whereas Mark Cuban charges an extra $5. I'm baffled that so many people are consuming Mark Cuban's marketing/PR without questioning if it's really the cheapest option. It's like everyone read the press releases and just decided it sounds correct.
      - CamperBob2 5y ago
        Many normal pharmacies also have mail-order options. Which are often very annoying to use. I have tried many times to get my pharmacy to deliver by mail. It typically works for a few months, then they stop bothering, or fail to request a refill until I call them, or mumble something about the drug not being legal to ship even though it was successfully delivered earlier by this pharmacy and by other mail-order pharmacies I've tried. There always seems to be some reason why it's necessary for me to drive down to the pharmacy, stand in line with a bunch of other customers during a pandemic, and grope around with various pens, styluses, and touchscreens that were previously handled by someone with who-knows-what infectious condition. Funny how that works. This business is well past ripe for disruption. It's like everyone read the press releases and just decided it sounds correct. Do you have any stake or interest in the pharmacy trade? It's like you're making the most negative possible assumption at every step of your argument, so turnabout seems to be fair play.
        pc86 5y ago
        When can we stop with the "during a pandemic" FUD? It's been well over two years. Everyone who is getting vaccinated is vaccinated. Vaccines and tests are widely available for free. At some point you need to stop being afraid of standing next to people in line. I'm triple vaxxed and have no problem with mask or vaccine mandates where they make sense. But stuff like "oh you want me to use a stylus in a pandemic?!?" or putting on a mask while you walk 10 feet to a restaurant table are just silly.
        5y ago

technofiend 5y ago

>In 2020, 8.6 percent of people, or 28.0 million, did not have health insurance at any point during the year OK. Is your point Mark should be trying to build a single insurance offering or marketplace that could serve them all? Not being confrontational, just genuinely curious if think his efforts are better spent there?