HEALTH: A case of theft

Theft is considered morally and ethically wrong in most segments of society. In the segment dictated by medical insurance companies, however, these same ethics do not apply. Since it occurs behind the scenes, most people are unaware of the thefts that occur many times daily in their local pharmacies.

I am referring to the practice by insurers to artificially deflate drug costs without any corresponding reduction in reality. One recent example occurred last week with the generic of Depo-Testosterone, which a pharmacy can purchase for $18.53 per vial. One patient last month paid a copay of $7 for two vials, with the insurer paying an additional $29.02. The resulting $1.04 loss was made up for by selling the required needles and syringes.

This time the patient’s copay was $6.50 and the insurer paid nothing. This extortion of $30.56 by the insurer for the privilege of filling prescriptions for them, in my opinion, is nothing short of theft. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated experience, as they have deflated hundreds of prices this last month. I know of no example where a patient’s copay with this insurance company has been reduced by the insurer actually paying for the reduction. Rather, they are forcing the pharmacy to.

ALLEN ORTMANN

Coeur d’Alene