Politicians and healthcare professionals continue to discuss the issue of healthcare costs and what variables can be manipulated to
bring down prices. This article in The New York Times notes that rebates are the most recent variable under scrutiny.
A rebate is a discount associated with certain drugs where money is given back after payment. Critics believe these rebates are leading to increased list prices that consumers are responsible to pay for, while the insurers or large employers who cover their workers’ health care are usually the ones that get the refund.
Between the drug makers who feel they are under pressure to raise list prices to keep all players happy, elected public officials, and pharmacy benefit managers who argue that they have kept the total drug costs in check and prices aren’t as “steep” as believed, everyone is pointing fingers. Read more for details.
I have been filling prescriptions for a long time and pay zero on one of the most expensive ones based on a discount cards from the pharmaceutical company. Initially I thought this was a plan to end that and had no idea of this whole process. It seems like one of those things that naturally developed to fix one issue and create a host of other problems. It’s a metaphor for the industry. Often they give you one medication, then you need two more to offset the complications from the first one!