This year the cost of Obamacare for someone my age living in my North Texas county is roughly $10,000 for a $10,000 deductible. That means I would pay premiums of just over $800 a month in return for coverage that would cover nothing unless my health needs exceed $800 a month for the entire year. Assuming I spent more than $10,000 during the coverage period, the ACA plan would cover only $0.60 cents of every dollar I spend above my deductible.
Category: Public Insurance
FDA to Loosen Requirements for New Drug Approvals
The process for drug approval is bureaucratic and overly rigid. After a new drug molecule is identified, Stage I and Stage II trials are completed to test for toxicity and safety. Once a drug’s safety is evaluated, it can take years longer to finalize the Stage III clinical trials on drug efficacy. The new FDA Commissioner plans to speed the process.
NYT: Should Drugmakers be Allowed to Advertise Directly to Consumers?
Big Pharma spent roughly $3.3 billion in 2024 to advertise just 10 drugs. Whenever I see a drug advertisement, I sometimes play a little game. I Google the price to see how expensive it is. Sometimes the prices boggle the mind.
Why Most Drugs Should be Sold Over the Counter
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary recently stated that when it comes to drugs that currently require a prescription, “everything should be over the counter” unless they are unsafe or need monitoring. This post explains why that’s good.