We Are Community 239
I take exactly one prescription drug. I am pretty good with numbers. It is very easy to see what the charges are for that one drug. I am absolutely amazed that a lady working for an insurance company can go to her computer and also tell me what I paid for my medicine in Macomb, IL for any dates. I pick up a 90-day supply of the same medicine at the same store every time. Here is the interesting part.
My first prescription last year was just over sixteen dollars. My second pick up was just over four dollars and my last two pickups were 79 cents. Yes 79 cents. Now there is no way 79 cents covers the cost of manufacture for a drug, which I think is produced in India, shipped to the US, packaged and sold to me in Macomb. The retail price on the bottle is $43.39. The nice lady from Atena said they were billed just over ninety-three dollars for the medicine. My question to the nice lady was why is the charge so different for each three-month supply. She checked with someone a level above her to try to figure it out. We discussed supply and demand, shortages, etc. but none of those gave us an answer. We had several good laughs so the call was not at all negative. My humble opinion is that the health care in our country is terribly broken. Noone seems to know how charges are figured.
When I have called the hospital in Carthage to ask why the charge for the same procedure varies so much, I get the same lack of answer. I think it is because there is not an answer. Perhaps the whole process of billing is so complicated that no one understand it and, in my opinion, that should not be true. It seems to me that the whole billing process needs to be able to be understood by someone with a basic understanding of cost and profit to stay in business and provide good health care for everyone. I am so grateful to have insurance and be able to see a doctor when I need to do so.
Got a letter on January 23rd which was postmarked on December 21st. It did have to travel from Florida, but really! No indication where it had been for over a month. On the other hand, sent a book by media mail to Connecticut and it arrived within a couple of days.
Temperature got down to -9.7 degrees on one of my weather stations this week. That is too cold! Am glad I am not in Pensacola, one of our favorite places, as according to Facebook, they had several inches of snow. That would be a surprise!
Has been a very lonely week at the store. I know it’s January but I have a lot of great antiques. Please come in and see me.
Keep filling those bird and squirrel feeders. Absolutely amazed at how fast they are emptied.
Hope you have been able to see the planet alignment. From media reports, I expected a straight line of planets all nicely grouped. Don’t think that is the case. The alignment seems to stretch from the southwestern sky to the eastern sky. Anyway, when it is cold and clear, the stars are brilliant and well worth going out and getting a bit cold to view the beautiful sky.
Have a great week. Pray for all those who are ill and for all those affected by decisions made this week. I really like fresh produce in my grocery stores and I appreciated the roofers who worked so long and hard on the PCCC roof. Scatter Kindness and Love and encourage those around you to do the same!