In U.S., diabetics turn to black market or Canada for life-saving insulin

I agree with the sentiments re' cost and coverage. However, let me be the devil's advocate and say that per Obama Care, there are those who vehemiently opposes free universal healthcare in USA.

The situation with prescription costs illustrates perfectly well how the system pits one against another. Drugs companies gives big discounts to health funds and government negotiators, but to provide discounts, the drugs company makes up for the shortfall by overcharging those who aren't covered.

Therein lies the battle between those who are covered and those who aren't. It's also why you see covered people opposing discounts to uncovered people (because it affects their healthcare costs), but at the same time supports free medicines to the indigents. This is just a small corner of the whole puzzle.

IMHO, if there is a valid and fair criticism, it's that democracy and commercial interests clashes often and it takes leadership to mediate the clashes, and not just partisan politics.

Land of the free? Obviously not when talking about drug prices.

It is patently ridiculous that the same drug/medicinal agent costs X in Canada and 10 or 12 times that in the USA.

This is no surprise to any of us here in the states. Greed "Trumps" everything here. We general public, all of us, from all across the political spectrum, have been screaming about the problem of medical costs for many years, and yet, many of us who are doing the screaming, vote for the republicans who will fight tooth and nail to make sure we continue to get squeezed for every penny we can get our hands on for medicines. Yep, flame away you Trumpers, it won't be anything new. Hate me all you want, but you still won't be able to afford your insulin.

You know what really irks me, is in a time of crisis, if the gas station down the road raises the price of gas to just a few scents higher than the current average per gallon, he can be charged with price gouging, but when the pharmaceuticals that line politicians election campaign pockets do, meh, it's just capitalism, totally justified. Can't do anything about it or it will stifle innovation. That will always be the last thing you hear every time the discussion comes to a close, and prices wills till remain high.

Unbelievable in so rich a country, but the entire US healthcare system is unbelievable.

There's an interesting video about this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CdydQNfAXE&t=42s

A disgrace.

And interesting to see it becomes a worthy topic when it involves not just poor folk, but the middle classes.

Nobody should have to suffer like this.

This is an absolute disgrace.

In my opinion, this is where US Republicans in particular are really off the mark. They are so averse to anything that remotely resembles socialism or big government that they allow situations like this to occur. I suspect also that many of them and thier Democrat colleagues are funded by big pharma. Throw these people out of office.

Typical of America to allow greed to condemn the poor to death when a solution is available. Life in America is not worth much it seems. America is not alone in allowing price gouging for life saving medicines, but it may be the worst offender. Richest nation in the world off the backs of the sick and the poor. Disgusting.

Agree with all 3 of you guys. This shouldn't be happening in a first world country.

TrevorPeaceToday 07:02 am JSTAs a Canadian with a friend whose grandson needs a shot every day, I sympathize greatly with Americans who suffer the disease. Their country's behavior towards them is beyond disgusting. Their country's drug companies are the absolute worst, and without executive order from the White House, they're all doomed. Something that goes unreported, though, is that many women get gestational diabetes that doesn't disappear after they give birth. They bring a life, and then lose their their own, in the US.

And Type 1 diabetics get treated as freaks by medical insurance companies too. The cost of vital insulin in the US is obscene and the US government + society has a Hitleresque attitude about diabetics. It's sick and disgusting. And America calls itself a 'Christian' based nation.

I know that we have problems in Canada with our health system with waiting lists, and sometimes a lack of specialists. But we still have a system where basic lifesaving medicine is available to all at a reasonable cost, and patients don't have to worry about rationing their meds, or worrying about going bankrupt just to stay alive. Now I see why people like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are so popular with so any people. They are just trying to take care of all the people in the US, not like what is happening now!

As a Canadian with a friend whose grandson needs a shot every day, I sympathize greatly with Americans who suffer the disease. Their country's behavior towards them is beyond disgusting. Their country's drug companies are the absolute worst, and without executive order from the White House, they're all doomed. Something that goes unreported, though, is that many women get gestational diabetes that doesn't disappear after they give birth. They bring a life, and then lose their their own, in the US.