The American Drug Crisis -- It's Not What You Think

While we all love to hate the man with the most punchable face in America, Martin Shkreli, his despicable actions shed light on a situation all Americans will face at some time in our lives. The cost of prescription drugs is skyrocketing, and even with insurance picking up most of the tab, seniors are struggling to pay for life-saving new medicines. Unless something changes, prices will continue to go up. Photo Source In 2015, the FDA approved a slew of new drugs to treat everything from hepatitis C to MS. What those emotional commercials touting turnaround miracle drugs don't tell you is how much the miracle treatments cost...and it might be $50,000 and up per year. Even with Medicare, your out-of-pocket costs can run thousands of dollars. If you were prescribed rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira, for example, the total cost would be $42,059, and Medicare would pay all but $4,864 - a hefty price tag for a senior on a fixed income. How Big is The Issue? Americans spend more than any other country on drugs. Even the price of generic drugs spiked last year. Source: Dr. David Belk A state-by-state analysis of the money spent on drugs each year reveals astonishing amounts. As you might expect, states with more cattle than people such as Wyoming spend the least - $464,949,828 - while densely populated states like California spend the most - $35,260,741,888 in 2015. Why are drug prices so high in the U.S.? It's a complicated issue, but with U.S. drug sales exceeding $10 billi...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news