I watched an elderly couple yesterday at Walgreens trying to get the woman's albuterol (inhaler for breathing). The medicare related private, efficient, competitive, quality servicing insurance company was hassling the pharmacist about the perscription, putting the clerk on hold and making the couple wait. The clerk said she thought they were going to want the lady to take another medication. The lady said, "I can't take another medication!". They had obviously been waiting for quite some time, the woman on an oxygen tank.

They waited.

Finally, the old man went to the counter and said, "hell, give us the drug I'll just pay for it". They didn't look wealthy. The clerk, apologetically said, "if it's gets approved, we'll refund you the difference".

I was there to pick up a perscription for Nexium. I have intractable GERD for which the family of medications called "PPI's" is a must. I am allergic to every other drug in the class but nexium (a two year battle with the insurance company in and of itself). I had a perscription for 10 pills and my insurance was refusing to authorize it without further "clarification" from my Dr. I finally also said, "I'll just pay for the damned perscription for now". It was $70 for 10 pills.

Within the course of about 5 minutes at the counter of a typical pharmacy, two patients paid out of pocket for their meds at a total cost of around $150, a grossly inflated price set by the drug companies.

Wonder how often that happens at other pharmacies! It's called cost containment.

My ass.