Quote:
Originally Posted by red-beard
I do not agree that this is a big pharma conspiracy. Over reaction by the polititians? Yep. Over reaction by the media? Yep. Companies cashing in with a new situation? Yep. Don't they all?
|
I think it's health insurance companies. Negotiating pricing for hundreds of thousands of flu shots is easier and cheaper for them than paying even a single doctor visit for someone with the flu. The price of a seasonal flu shot is less than $100 (Kaiser Health News says it varies between $28 and $80). The allowable for a doctor visit for me out here in the sticks is around $125. Blood pressure and some other meds are no cost to the insured for the same reason. Pills are cheaper than hospital stays.
Shingles vaccine cost me $178 for each shot. Insurance didn't cover it. I guess the cost of treating shingles isn't too high, so it's cheaper to risk having to pay for a sick insured person.