Grab any regular American off the street and ask them about their healthcare insurance, they probably have a thing or two to say. Rarely is it nice; in fact, people get pretty heated about it. Case in point, one Indiana woman shared on TikTok of her getting to the bottom of an enormous healthcare bill she was getting. She had insurance and more, and yet she was saddled with a bill that would bankrupt a lot of Americans.
“I’m sorry, can you say that all again?” Nicole (TikTok/midwestmom20) says to a healthcare agent on the phone. She asks what the co-pay is going to be on her medication, which she claims is necessary for her to “swallow food.” In the caption of her TikTok video, she states the cost for a single month’s supply is $3,981. That could be the down payment on a car, every single month.
Nicole looked baffled as she repeated the cost for clarification. “I’ve been on this medication for probably six months and I’ve never had to pay a dime towards it.” She asks how much her insurance covered, which was a whopping $4,600. Do the math on that and it’s nearly nine grand for what anyone would call necessary medication. Imagine having to pay that without insurance.
The healthcare agent then shares with Nicole a co-pay assistance she can sign up for. She’d be given a debit card that would also cover some of the cost. Unsurprisingly, Nicole would have to go through an entirely different process just for that. You can just see the frustration on her face.
Unfortunately, this is the U.S. healthcare system at work. It doesn’t matter if it’s being done legally or illegally. People can’t get the medication they need because healthcare is so inconsistent on what it covers.
That sentiment could be read in the comments, with others offering solutions and tricks. “Just do the copay card. I don’t think it’s right insurance companies decide how much they pay and pharmaceutical companies raise the prices, but they do. You’re one of the lucky ones. I’ve had a lot of patients who get no help. So “jump through hoops” bc you’re one of the lucky ones,” one commenter suggested.
Nicole answered back, arguing that wasn’t the point. “I’m just completely baffled by how much these companies are charging.” Several argued she’s still paying a deductible, but again, Nicole doesn’t accept that framing. Another suggested getting a “prior authorization” to deem the medication necessary and jumpstart “payment assistance.” However, Nicole was one step ahead and shared that was already accounted for. She just couldn’t shake the bill.
The cost of medication shouldn’t even be up for debate, not when it comes to caring for others. Why tie the health of others to a for-profit system, if not to squeeze others out of every last dime? As one comment put it: “NO medication should be 8k a month. That’s INSANE.”
