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Re costs being lower overseas: would agree that two of the escalators for US costs would be malpractice lawsuits and insurance?

MaxPC wrote:Re costs being lower overseas: would agree that two of the escalators for US costs would be malpractice lawsuits and insurance?

Biggest difference is labour costs.

Josh wrote:

MaxPC wrote:Re costs being lower overseas: would agree that two of the escalators for US costs would be malpractice lawsuits and insurance?

Biggest difference is labour costs.

True, but it is only one factor. Drug costs are a fraction of what they are in the states, and that was for meds from manufacturers in the EU or Japan. With a national formulary it permits the Ministry of Health to negotiate for "best price." Less regulation is also helpful. As to insurance, UAE had a national system, and all payments and paperwork was standardized and the same forms when to all carriers. Also, things were priced per "condition" for common stuff, a flat Dh3000 (About 800$) for a vaginal delivery. Midwives did almost all of those. Nurses advised on birth control as well, but this was mostly "spacing" accd. to my wife.

I just saw the price of a new MS drug on an NPR article on the Zika vaccine. It is an example of why it is so expensive here:

"Sanders and Knowledge Ecology point out that Sanofi has charged more in the U.S. for many medications, including the multiple sclerosis drug Aubagio, which costs Medicare more than $5,000, but in France it's priced at about $745."

So there are many reasons.