Open Thread, November 23-30, 2013

passive_fist

If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.

I don't get it. Why would she need to deal with dozens of people to get meds she clearly needs for a single condition? My heuristics point at her version of the story leaving out something important.

Alternatively you really do have a screwed up health care system in the US.

Why would she need to deal with dozens of people to get meds she clearly needs for a single condition?

Most of these drugs are pretty well-known. Hydrocortisone (or prednisone) is probably the most common and easiest drug, both cheap and commonly prescribed as a general immunosuppressant. The thyroid drugs (probably thyroxine and liothyronine) have a number of on-label uses that could be coherently stretched to cover this particular condition, and are common enough to be in the average pharmacy network. There'll be some hesitancy to mess with doses he... (read more)

3Douglas_Knight12y

Her complaints are not the usual ones about the American system. What leads you to believe that it would be different elsewhere? The insurance companies add a gatekeeper, but it's not the only one. If she complained that the system simply denied her what she wanted, I'd find it quite plausible that there is more to the story. But instead she says that it is a struggle every month. What could be the other side to that story?

0NancyLebovitz12y

I haven't had much dealings with the medical profession, but her story didn't seem wildly implausible to me-- I have friends who've had a hard time, though not that bad, getting the care they need. Anyone else care to weigh in on whether her story seemed implausible to them, or plausible but at the low quality medical care end of the spectrum?

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