Sick economy has patients skimping on meds

CHICAGO - The ailing economy is leading many Americans to skip doctor visits, skimp on their medicine, and put off mammograms, Pap smears and other tests. And physicians worry the result will be sicker patients who need even more costly treatment in the long run.

"I have to pretty much be very ill to go to the doctor," said Julie Shelley, a 49-year-old office manager and mother of three from West Milton, Ohio. "I'm probably at the age where I should have a checkup or physical. I'm not going to do it. I am last on the list."

In Lombard, Ill., Donald Hendricks lost his job over the summer at an event-planning company. When two of his six children came down with a fever and sore throat several weeks ago, he could not afford the gas money to drive them to the doctor. He gave them soup and soda instead, and they got better.

Here In New Zealand, mammograms are free for women between the age of 50 and 65...every 2 years.

I do not pay a cent for my Plaq, Sulfasalazine, Pred, VitD, BP meds and diuretic. Do you in the States have to pay for these type of medications? I realise you have to pay for the heavy artillery like the biologics etc as copays.

Cheers....Lyn In Canada mammograms are free. Between 40 and 50 you go once a year and after 50 you go every 2 years. I have an annual deductible for meds and after that it's free, but that varies from region to region.Lyn - an American Congresswoman had to fight to pass legislation about a decade or so ago just to get the insurance companies to pay for mammograms, they weren't covered by insurance until then. Americans have to pay for all their medications one way or another. And all because we hate Hillary Clinton. It's pathetic. Lyndee,

Unlike your single payer system (that's what you have in NZ, right?) we have a patchwork health care system. We have government plans: older or disabled folks on Medicare; poor are on Medicaid; children of low income families are on SCHIPS; active or retired military and their families are on TRICARE; military folks can also receive care through the Veteran's Administration; states have high risk pool plans for individuals with preexisting conditions that private insurers refuse to cover. There are private plans: some but not all employers provide health insurance, individuals can buy individual private plans, but its expensive. Despite all these government and private programs, 45 million do not have health insurance, so any health care they would need would have to be paid out of their pocket or some go to hospital's emergency rooms for care. There is some charity care, but as you can imagine, it can not meet the medical needs of the number of uninsured.

As far as prescriptions, even if you have insurance, most likely you have to pay something. One's share of the cost depends on your insurance plans, for example, the cost of a biologic could range from to 0 a month and some plans do not even cover the drug your doctor may prescribe.

In many areas of the US, there have been a high number of home foreclosures, people are losing jobs, losing their health insurance. With the downturn in the economy, that means less revenue to the government, less money for health care programs, at a time when there will be more demand on them. Our government has not dealt with our inadequate health care system, the stakeholders in the status quo, insurance companies, drug companies, business, medical providers, have hindered previous attempts at health care reform. So, now, with this financial crisis, more Americans will be foregoing the health care or meds they need.

Sick economy has patients skimping on meds | Arthritis Information