When I was the marketing director for a Medicare HMO in the late 80’s, we used to hear from seniors at that time:  “I’m healthy as a horse. I have never had to see a doctor my entire life.”   Well that culture has changed.   Earlier this week, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association released a story about the Top Ten Drugs used in New York State, and their annual costs.

Just look at the costs of these drugs:  $241,520,000 on Lipitor alone—the number one best seller.  Next was for Asthma—Advair at $116,280,000.

This is only from one state (New York). 

In most of these cases, generics were available. In the case of asthma, it would be interesting to know how much of this was for children.   Here in Seattle, at a low income housing development, ER room visits dropped from 61.8 visits to 20 over a 3 month period, just by adding an air cleaning system in some of the homes. 

We are being sold sickness and we are not the healthier for it. (Read: Selling Sickness: How the World’s Largest Pharmaceutical Companies are Turning Us All into Patients).

Our costs are outrageous—twice as much as any other country—yet we do not live as long (30th for life expectancy) and we have shameful outcomes—27th in Infant Mortality and 37th for overall health outcomes. 

Which is why we all need to get involved to change our system. It is not working! 

Cheers and more later.  Kathleen