The cure for Hep C has come

Well, if the UC pill is $1000/day, I certainly won't be getting any.

$82,000 for a cure???? Is my math right?

$82,000 ain't much.

Patient #1
Lailda daily $5000 a year
Rowasa(generic) 3 week for a year $5000+
Yearly colonscopy $3000
$13,000 x 20 years= $260,000
10 years on remicade =$170,000
Final "cure" by surgery $100,000?

$100,000 +170,000+260,000= $530,000 not including blood tests, specialist visits, ER visits

Patient #2(mild case)
50 years on lialda plus yearly colonscopies= $400,000

I had a friend die as a result of hep C at age 52. Ignoring that he died really slowly and had numerous amputations and humiliations, the VA spent nearly $1 million on him.

I would pay that in cash to be cured.

"So basically the rich can be cured....the world we live in is sad at the best of times."

lol, why you complaining. You live in Alberta which is Canada. I live in Canada also. Sooooo, this med is free for us, if we ever need it. :)

Good love social health care. :)

"Dude...The meds aren't totally free....and it depends on one's deductible, insurance, etc.
Although, the poorer one is, the more affordable.
q"

Oh good, you're in this thread. See, a cure. You starting having more faith now? ;) They be coming...

What impression does it give? I'm not a big fan of U.S. cutthroat health care. Yes, it's almost free. You know how much my Humira shots used to cost? A big 0 dollars.

Most people I know are all covered for their meds and pay peanuts if something. So yeah, I'm going to keep on keeping saying it's "free".

My mezavant pills for 2 months cost me like 20$ or something, that's nothing. For me I call that free. A girl that was taking remicade told me she paid crap. For that I used to pay I think 50$ per infusion, and then free for the rest of the year.

I think I had this conversation with Somedude a while back. Things must work differently in Quebec than in other provinces. Meds here in BC are most certainly NOT free. Most of us have some coverage through employer or private benefit plans (or spouse's employer benefit plans, as in my case) but then you are subject to deductibles, co-pays, etc. which vary with each plan.

But what would that prove? Only that things work differently in Quebec than in other parts of Canada.... which is what I keep saying and you - what? Disagree?? Not sure what you are trying to get at here.

Meds are not "free" in Ontario either (I used to live there and my family still lives there) - they are covered by employer health plans for most people (my mom had to pay out of pocket as she was not employed but was not below the income threshold wherein the safety net would kick in and cover her meds as is likely the case for that girl who does not work).

Things work differently for you because you work for the government. And, being the government it will be the best benefit plan around so it would be "free" to you. And, in your case, yes it is paid for by the taxpayers! But for most people (even in Quebec as it turns out) meds are paid by their employer not the provincial health care system. Here is what I found on the Quebec provincial health care website http://www.ramq.gouv.qc.ca/en/citizens/prescription-drug-insurance/Pages/description.aspx

"In Québec, everyone must be covered by prescription drug insurance.

Two types of insurance plans offer this coverage:

Public plan, that is, the one administered by the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec and

Private plans (group insurance or employee benefit plans)

Only those persons who are not eligible for a private plan may register for the Public Prescription Drug Insurance Plan. The Plan was set up in 1997 to cover all Quebecers who are not eligible for a private plan.

If you are eligible for a private plan, you must join that plan and provide coverage for your spouse
and children.

A private plan is a group insurance or employee benefit plan offering basic coverage for prescription drugs. Plans of this type are called private plans because, unlike the public plan, administered by the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec, they are offered by private-sector companies.

Private plans are usually available through employment, in the form of group insurance, which an employer may offer to its employees as a fringe benefit. In addition, many professional orders and associations, as well as unions, make such plans available to their members.

Private plans are sometimes called healthcare plans or health insurance plans. Most private plans offer prescription drug coverage along with other services, such as paramedical services or consultations with certain health professionals (chiropractors, physiotherapists, dentists, etc.), but some offer prescription drug coverage only.

Coverage provided may vary from one private plan to another, depending on the agreement entered into between the policyholder and the insurance company or plan administrator."

Again, it's a subjective list of requirements/limitations, private/personal coverage, provincial coverage, employee coverage, etc. So quit saying meds are free!

q