The hottest Prescription drugs Substack posts right now

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Top U.S. Politics Topics

While Cigna Saddles Patients with Increasing Out-of-Pocket Requirements, the Company Bought Back $5 Billion of Its Own Stock

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 959 implied HN points • 01 Aug 24
🏥 Health Politics Healthcare system Insurance policies Patient rights Prescription drugs
  1. Cigna spent $5 billion buying back its own stock while customers face rising healthcare costs. This shows a focus on profits over patient care.
  2. Cigna has lost nearly 500,000 health plan members after raising premiums, indicating they prioritize shareholder gains over customer retention.
  3. President Biden wants to limit out-of-pocket drug costs to $2,000 a year, which could help many Americans afford medications better. Insurers like Cigna may resist these changes but it could reduce unfair financial burdens on patients.

How Employers Can Easily Bend the Rx Cost Curve

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 259 implied HN points • 24 Apr 24
🏥 Health Politics Healthcare Costs Prescription drugs Insurance Legislation
  1. Employers can save money on prescription drugs by creating a competitive environment for pharmacy benefit management (PBM) contracts. This means they should compare prices from various PBMs to find the best deal.
  2. Using objective pricing metrics helps employers understand exactly how much they are paying for drugs. By focusing on all costs including fees and ensuring transparency, they can cut down unnecessary expenses.
  3. Employers should keep track of their spending regularly and adjust as needed. This ongoing management can lead to significant savings for both the employer and employees without limiting access to necessary medications.

Weight Watchers Expands Their Harmful Model - Adding Prescription Drugs

Weight and Healthcare • 738 implied HN points • 15 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Prescription drugs Medical Industry Body positivity Pharmaceuticals
  1. Weight Watchers is expanding their model by adding prescription drugs, showing a pattern of prioritizing profits over people's well-being.
  2. Weight Watchers acquired Sequence, a telehealth company prescribing weight loss drugs with risky side effects and questionable efficacy.
  3. The company's approach includes misleading weight loss claims, lack of transparency, and a focus on short-term financial gains rather than long-term health.

Six annoying steps that reduced my prescription drug costs by $2000 per year

Neeloy’s Substack • 59 implied HN points • 21 Jun 24
🏥 Health Politics Healthcare Costs Prescription drugs Insurance Issues Patient Advocacy Health economics
  1. You can save money on prescription drugs by asking for generic versions. A simple request to your doctor might cut costs significantly.
  2. Checking websites like goodrx.com for coupons can make a big difference. It's worth taking the time to search for discounts at different pharmacies.
  3. Don't hesitate to communicate with your pharmacist and doctor. Asking questions and exploring alternatives can lead to much lower medication costs.

Wall Street investors punish Cigna for not promising them bigger profits.

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 139 implied HN points • 04 Feb 22
🏥 Health Politics Healthcare system Insurance Industry Investor Relations Prescription drugs
  1. Cigna's stock dropped significantly because investors were unhappy with the company's profit expectations for the year. This shows how much pressure companies face to make big profits.
  2. Instead of using their money to help customers with lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs, Cigna preferred to buy back shares to boost profits just for shareholders.
  3. Overall, more people are feeling underinsured as healthcare costs rise, even with higher premiums, just so big companies like Cigna can keep investors satisfied.
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Biden Announces Federal Tax Haul Due to Inflation Reduction Act Funding

The Washington Current • 0 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Taxation Legislation Enforcement Prescription drugs
  1. President Biden announced over $500 million in unpaid taxes were collected through resources under the Inflation Reduction Act.
  2. The IRA legislation signed by Biden in 2022 includes funding to boost IRS enforcement efforts against tax cheats.
  3. Republicans negotiated a rescission of $20 billion of IRS funding, but the agency continues to pursue wealthy tax evaders.