A TikTok user recently shed light on the staggering cost of endometriosis medication—$5,349.53 for a single prescription. This eye-opening video compels viewers to consider the troubling state of the healthcare and insurance industries. Such exorbitant prices are unacceptable, regardless of insurance status.
In subsequent videos, the TikTok user documents their frustrating attempts to navigate what can only be described as the “triangle of despair” involving their healthcare provider, insurance company, and pharmacy. Each call reveals the insurance company’s frustrating tactics to deny coverage for necessary medication, making it painfully clear that the system is rigged against patients.
The situation arose after a change in insurance led this individual, who suffers from endometriosis—a painful condition where uterine tissue grows outside the uterus—to spend countless hours on the phone just trying to obtain prescribed medication. While the medical provider affirms, “My patient needs this,” the insurance company responds with a dismissive, “Sorry, not happening.” This scenario, bizarrely deemed normal, raises serious questions about our healthcare system.
Why aren’t we more outraged? How have we come to accept a system where large corporations profit from people’s illnesses? It’s troubling that the very entities tasked with providing healthcare often benefit more from denying care.
Insurance companies are inherently conflicted; while they claim to provide coverage, they profit when they deny it. This frustrating runaround—whether due to paperwork errors or required authorizations—is no accident; it’s a system designed to protect profits over patients.
Similarly, pharmaceutical companies often prioritize their bottom lines over patient welfare. For instance, former Celgene CEO Mark Alles faced backlash for significantly raising the price of the cancer drug Revlimid to meet company earnings targets, all while cancer patients struggled to afford their critical treatment. Such practices highlight the moral failures of those in control of American healthcare.
While capitalism can drive innovation, it should have no place in healthcare. It’s unacceptable for anyone to profit excessively from the health of others. A fair return for work is reasonable, but a $13 million salary for a CEO at the expense of patients in need? Absolutely not.
Rewatch the TikTok video and observe the distress on the user’s face as they learn that their insurance will not cover the medication they desperately need. This situation is not an isolated incident; it’s emblematic of a larger issue within our healthcare system. We don’t just need minor reforms to the Affordable Care Act; we require universal healthcare. No one should be reduced to tears because of insurance denials for necessary treatments.
It’s time for Americans to raise their voices. We must demand that our representatives push for universal healthcare, ensuring that every individual has access to the same quality of coverage enjoyed by our political leaders. Contact your representatives now; don’t wait until you find yourself in a similar unfortunate situation.
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