VA Care vs Private Dr

[Fat]

My Veterans Group members were having a spirited discussion about healthcare.

We generally agree the VA and private hospitals do a pretty good job of caring for sick patrons.

The indifference occurred when we talked about pharmaceutical companies and their roll in dictating what medicine is suggested by private hospital doctors.

Diabetes was the example cited.

Because the VA is a non profit agency whom sole purpose is to care for veterans, they tend to use diabetes medicine that's less expensive, but works just as well as the new medicines pharmaceutical companies push doctors at private hospitals to prescribe.

The consensus was private hospital doctors are more likely to prescribe higher priced medicine instead of using lower priced medicine which is just as effective. 

If anyone has diabetes and has received VA care versus private hospital care is this true?

All comments are welcome..........

[Richard1954]

I would say it is true no matter what medication or condition , private sector medical care cost more than government run medical care. Why... well for one reason when talking about medications, doctors get kickbacks.... and samples

[Vync]

Many of the new meds are considered by the VA to be non-formulary, meaning they don't normally have or prescribe them. However, that doesn't mean they can't get or prescribe them. Back when Singulair (Montelukast Sodium) hit the market, it was touted as a breakthrough asthma/allergy drug, but the VA refused to prescribe it because it was deemed non-formulary and not available as a generic. My VA doctor, a specialist, got with the pharmacy and requested approval to prescribe as non-formulary. Of course, they had to ensure all the other standard of care options were tried and ineffective. Eventually, the request got approved and I started receiving it in the mail each month. After the med went generic, they started shipping me the generic instead.

[Richard1954]

1 hour ago, Vync said:

Singulair (Montelukast Sodium) hit the market, it was touted as a breakthrough asthma/allergy drug,

Heck I still can't get it from the VA.. so I get it from Darnell Medical center at Fort Hood

[Vync]

37 minutes ago, Richard1954 said:

Heck I still can't get it from the VA.. so I get it from Darnell Medical center at Fort Hood

Whoa. When I got it, it was from the specialist doc at the VA allergy clinic. My primary care doc said they could not request it.