1.Socialize the EpiPen
Summary: This article talks about EpiPens but also emphasizes the dysfunction of the American pharmaceutical system. One of the main problems specified in the article was the enormous price increase of EpiPens. Between 2007 and 2016 the price for a set of two EpiPens went from $100 to $600(Jacobin, Sept. 2, 2016). The company that sells the EpiPens is Mylan Pharmaceuticals, however they outsource to Pfizer’s Meridian Medical Technologies, which manufactures a whole lineup of autoinjector products(Jacobin, Sept. 2, 2016). And due to the sky high prices for EpiPens the CEO of Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Heather Bresch, had a huge salary increase from $2.5 million to $18.9 million(Jacobin, Sept. 2, 2016). Not to mention, …show more content…
The only problem with generic versions is not the epinephrine but the patent itself for the autoinjector. These high prices are causing problems for those who can’t afford the expense which in turn is also making the government consider “compulsory licensing.” By definition this will break the patent and the prices will fall to a more reasonable level that people can afford. In all, the government needs to create a national health care plan to help those in need by being a single purchaser who can haggle with drug companies to lower their prices to a more affordable rate for people who are in need of the life saving EpiPen.
2.Won 't single-payer bankrupt the U.S.?
Summary: To summarize, the answer to this article’s question is no. In fact, a single payer will save almost over $500 billion more in a year, which would pay for those who are uninsured. Many controls like fee schedules, global budgets for hospitals, and negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies will ensure that the U.S. does not go bankrupt. Also a single payer will reduce hospital administrative costs, which will help save more money in the long run instead of spending 20 percent of our GDP on health care which is twice as much as other nations with universal …show more content…
In the article it shows us that the media coverage from America about Canada is using false statements and ignoring scientific data in favor of using anecdotes and quotations to make the American public believe that Canada’s health system is not as good as our own(Canada’s Burning). They do not use comparative studies that would show whether America or Canada has a better health-care system. Some comparisons included in the article are that Canada ensured 100 percent of its citizens for $2, 250 per person in 1998 while the United States expended $4,270 per person but insured only 84 percent of our citizens(Canada’s Burning). It also stated that Americans by a majority might favor universal insurance because of what they thought Canada had. Another reason that American’s don’t really question what is wrong with our health care is that media coverage is usually telling us that Canada does not recommend their system as a model for export(Canada’s Burning). But the Canadian government has gained lots of money through this government program and private health insurance companies play a very small role in Canada and only cover services that are not covered by their medicare. Canada also has very good control over drug prices and physician fees that are far lower than the United States. However, due to the intense media coverage over the “crisis” talk it
Summary: This article talks about EpiPens but also emphasizes the dysfunction of the American pharmaceutical system. One of the main problems specified in the article was the enormous price increase of EpiPens. Between 2007 and 2016 the price for a set of two EpiPens went from $100 to $600(Jacobin, Sept. 2, 2016). The company that sells the EpiPens is Mylan Pharmaceuticals, however they outsource to Pfizer’s Meridian Medical Technologies, which manufactures a whole lineup of autoinjector products(Jacobin, Sept. 2, 2016). And due to the sky high prices for EpiPens the CEO of Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Heather Bresch, had a huge salary increase from $2.5 million to $18.9 million(Jacobin, Sept. 2, 2016). Not to mention, …show more content…
The only problem with generic versions is not the epinephrine but the patent itself for the autoinjector. These high prices are causing problems for those who can’t afford the expense which in turn is also making the government consider “compulsory licensing.” By definition this will break the patent and the prices will fall to a more reasonable level that people can afford. In all, the government needs to create a national health care plan to help those in need by being a single purchaser who can haggle with drug companies to lower their prices to a more affordable rate for people who are in need of the life saving EpiPen.
2.Won 't single-payer bankrupt the U.S.?
Summary: To summarize, the answer to this article’s question is no. In fact, a single payer will save almost over $500 billion more in a year, which would pay for those who are uninsured. Many controls like fee schedules, global budgets for hospitals, and negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies will ensure that the U.S. does not go bankrupt. Also a single payer will reduce hospital administrative costs, which will help save more money in the long run instead of spending 20 percent of our GDP on health care which is twice as much as other nations with universal …show more content…
In the article it shows us that the media coverage from America about Canada is using false statements and ignoring scientific data in favor of using anecdotes and quotations to make the American public believe that Canada’s health system is not as good as our own(Canada’s Burning). They do not use comparative studies that would show whether America or Canada has a better health-care system. Some comparisons included in the article are that Canada ensured 100 percent of its citizens for $2, 250 per person in 1998 while the United States expended $4,270 per person but insured only 84 percent of our citizens(Canada’s Burning). It also stated that Americans by a majority might favor universal insurance because of what they thought Canada had. Another reason that American’s don’t really question what is wrong with our health care is that media coverage is usually telling us that Canada does not recommend their system as a model for export(Canada’s Burning). But the Canadian government has gained lots of money through this government program and private health insurance companies play a very small role in Canada and only cover services that are not covered by their medicare. Canada also has very good control over drug prices and physician fees that are far lower than the United States. However, due to the intense media coverage over the “crisis” talk it