Comments on: Information on pharmaceutical prices http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/02/15/information-on-pharmaceutical-prices/ An unbiased look at today's health care issues Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:28:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Farmanux News http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/02/15/information-on-pharmaceutical-prices/#comment-134397 Farmanux News Sat, 16 Feb 2008 11:00:19 +0000 http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/02/15/information-on-pharmaceutical-prices/#comment-134397 [...] Information on pharmaceutical prices Economic theory says that for commodities, there should be one market price. For instance, there is one worldwide price for oil, metals also have a one worldwide price. While there is significant heterogeneity between different types of medical treatments, one would expect that the price of pharmaceuticals would be the same or very […] [...] [...] Information on pharmaceutical prices Economic theory says that for commodities, there should be one market price. For instance, there is one worldwide price for oil, metals also have a one worldwide price. While there is significant heterogeneity between different types of medical treatments, one would expect that the price of pharmaceuticals would be the same or very […] [...]

]]> By: Farmanux News http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/02/15/information-on-pharmaceutical-prices/#comment-134353 Farmanux News Sat, 16 Feb 2008 03:00:18 +0000 http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/02/15/information-on-pharmaceutical-prices/#comment-134353 [...] Economic theory says that for commodities, there should be one market price. For instance, there is one worldwide price for oil, metals also have a one worldwide price. While there is significant heterogeneity between different types of medical treatments, one would expect that the price of pharmaceuticals would be the same or very […] Read more… [...] [...] Economic theory says that for commodities, there should be one market price. For instance, there is one worldwide price for oil, metals also have a one worldwide price. While there is significant heterogeneity between different types of medical treatments, one would expect that the price of pharmaceuticals would be the same or very […] Read more… [...]

]]> By: Farmanux News http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/02/15/information-on-pharmaceutical-prices/#comment-134326 Farmanux News Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:12:54 +0000 http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/02/15/information-on-pharmaceutical-prices/#comment-134326 [...] Economic theory says that for commodities, there should be one market price. For instance, there is one worldwide price for oil, metals also have a one worldwide price. While there is significant heterogeneity between different types of medical treatments, one would expect that the price of pharmaceuticals would be the same or very […] Read more [...] [...] Economic theory says that for commodities, there should be one market price. For instance, there is one worldwide price for oil, metals also have a one worldwide price. While there is significant heterogeneity between different types of medical treatments, one would expect that the price of pharmaceuticals would be the same or very […] Read more [...]

]]> By: christopher http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/02/15/information-on-pharmaceutical-prices/#comment-134267 christopher Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:05:22 +0000 http://healthcare-economist.com/2008/02/15/information-on-pharmaceutical-prices/#comment-134267 Jason - thank you for noticing the Rx case study! Even though both studies (Rx and also the "strep test" case study) were not done with a large sample size nor did we apply complete, third-party academic rigor to our methodology (though approp blinded, randomization was applied)... the point was not to perform a genuine scientific analysis. The point was to validate just how confusing, inequitable, and down-right silly product and services pricing in healthcare can be when someone wants to know, "how much will this cost me?" (be it someone uninsured or bearing more of the direct cost via higher deductible in a CDHP). Like in the movie Shrek, healthcare is "...like an onion! Layers, many layers." The current system just isn't geared for simplicity nor direct-to-consumer purchasing, which is why efforts that help to point that out may not be perfect, appear flawed or potentially one-sided YET are needed to poke people within the system to say, "This is screwed up. It's too complex and there is a dire need of more transparency." Just wanted to say thanks for noticing our trivial efforts. - christopher Jason - thank you for noticing the Rx case study! Even though both studies (Rx and also the “strep test” case study) were not done with a large sample size nor did we apply complete, third-party academic rigor to our methodology (though approp blinded, randomization was applied)… the point was not to perform a genuine scientific analysis. The point was to validate just how confusing, inequitable, and down-right silly product and services pricing in healthcare can be when someone wants to know, “how much will this cost me?” (be it someone uninsured or bearing more of the direct cost via higher deductible in a CDHP).

Like in the movie Shrek, healthcare is “…like an onion! Layers, many layers.” The current system just isn’t geared for simplicity nor direct-to-consumer purchasing, which is why efforts that help to point that out may not be perfect, appear flawed or potentially one-sided YET are needed to poke people within the system to say, “This is screwed up. It’s too complex and there is a dire need of more transparency.”

Just wanted to say thanks for noticing our trivial efforts.

- christopher

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