For many Americans, confidence in the future of U.S. health care is low and anxiety about the cost of health care is high.
In 2001, the Institute of Medicine published “The Quality of Health Care in America,”Closing the Quality Gap: A New Healthcare System for the 21st Centuryst century,” The bill outlined six goals: safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable care. Since then, little progress has been made in lowering the prices of life-changing medicines.
Now, President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have announced a groundbreaking new agreement to lower prescription drug prices through Medicare, with Biden declaring: “We've finally beaten Big Pharma.”
This is an important stepping stone for public health, as non-government or private health insurers typically follow Medicare's lead.
Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump He also promised to lower drug prices, saying, “Under my policies, the United States government will direct big pharmaceutical companies to pay only the highest price offered to foreign countries that have long wronged us. America is tired of being ripped off.”
The US presidential election campaign has been a contentious one, especially this year, but making health care more affordable is not something that should be the sole focus of one political party.
Drug costs have risen in the US It will increase by 7.7% from 2020 to 2021, totaling $576.9 billion. In 2023, 13.6%, totaling $722.5 billion.
One example is semaglutide, commonly known as two brand-name weight-loss medications: Ozempic and Wegovy. Top Drugs for 2023,mainly Two in five American adults suffer from obesity.It is often accompanied by other serious chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.
People with obesity-related health issues are inundated with drug ads, articles and success stories about weight loss with semaglutide and may be asking themselves, “How can I get this drug myself?” However, the cost depends on your insurance coverage and your ability to pay any remaining copayments. For those without insurance, all costs are out of pocket.
If you don't have insurance, semaglutide is available from a pharmacy. $915 per injection or $1,350 It is given as four injections for a 28-day supply. Most insurance companies only cover semaglutide for type 2 diabetes, with limited or no coverage for weight loss. If you have insurance or manufacturer discounts, the cost of semaglutide is $25/month.
High drug prices in the country are not a new problem.
Insulin was discovered and produced synthetically over 100 years ago, but it was never affordable.
One longitudinal study We looked at price trends for insulin products from 2012 to 2019 and found that prices for both long-acting and short-acting insulin products increased by an average of about 12% per year. Another study Examining 10-year trends for insulin and other glucose-lowering drugs, the study found that while insulin use remained stable from 2009 to 2018, total spending on insulin still “nearly doubled per person per year” for both insured and uninsured individuals. For the uninsured, out-of-pocket costs for insulin increased from $1,678 to $2,800 per person per year.
This is a cost that is too high for patients to bear and does not match the costs of chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
Obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Obesity affects 20% of children and 42% of adults and costs the U.S. healthcare system nearly $10 billion. $173 billion per yearCurrently, more than 38 million people in the United States are diagnosed with diabetes, which can lead to complications such as kidney failure and blindness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the estimated total cost of diabetes is $413 billion in 2022.
Policymakers across party and industry lines must focus on lowering drug prices and increasing transparency in the pricing process. Manufacturer rebates and discounts alone are not enough to combat the soaring cost of health care in the United States. Lowering health care costs should be on the agenda of all policymakers.
Grace Han, DNP, APRN, is a certified family nurse practitioner at Massachusetts General Hospital and a Public Voices Fellow at The OpEd Project.
