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by Aunche 226 days ago
Radically changing healthcare works out great in people's heads, but then they immediately whine about their Ozempic no longer being covered like in socialized healthcare countries which don't use expensive cutting edge drugs as a first resort. No matter how competent the government is, which ours isn't, any radical change (besides just throwing more money at the problem) will make things worse before they are better and voters are the most fickle bunch there is.
2 comments
edmundsauto 226 days ago
Semaglutide isn’t exactly cutting edge, it’s 16 years since it was invented. GLP-1 drugs go back to the 90s. They are undeniably trendy but it’s odd to consider them cutting edge.

Expensive, yes.

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Aunche 226 days ago
Semaglutide was approved in 2017. By cutting edge, I suppose I mean covered by patent. Luckily for Canada, Novo Nordisk forgot to pay their for its renewal.

I was just pointing to an example of why healthcare reform is politically difficult. One relevant to the ACA was ending discrimination based on preexisting conditions, which caused a majority of people's premiums to go up to subsidize those who are chronically ill. Morally, most people agree it's the right thing to do, but it was politically disastrous since one person gets one vote.

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__d 226 days ago
FWIW, semaglutide is available in Australia via the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (part of the socialized healthcare system), when prescribed for treatment of type 2 diabetes. Which means it is cheap, because the government bulk-buys it at a negotiated price.

There are plenty of treatments that aren’t subsidized, but it’s not as restricted as it might be perceived. There’s very little whining about things not being covered, because most things are.

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Aunche 226 days ago
> FWIW, semaglutide is available in Australia via the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (part of the socialized healthcare system), when prescribed for treatment of type 2 diabetes

Compare the "restriction" section of Ozempic vs metformin. Ozempic is absolutely not allowed to be prescribed as a first resort against type 2 diabetes. Contrast that with a lot of American private insurance, particularly at good employers, where restrictions are much looser. This performative generosity for common treatments, especially trendy ones, is why most people view their private insurance positively, much higher than the state of healthcare in the country.

https://m.pbs.gov.au/medicine/item/2430X.html

https://m.pbs.gov.au/medicine/item/12075m-12080t.html

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