My insurance got cancelled.

[mightymouse]

Yes but Barack said that Obamacare is going to save you an average of $2,600 per year on your health insurance, AND you'll get to keep your same doctor! He said so himself, I heard him!

Maybe so, but the only real way to know whether or not a politician is lying is to watch his lips. Were they moving?

 

[0311]

I have one of those free prescription plan card, it helps with a few bucks. metformin is one of the cheapest meds out there, I get 90 days for less than $30. Believe me, I want to have insurance, especially in my line of work, I work with heavy machinery in my shop, I weld, I grind, etc. I may be a writer, but I write about working on cars, so it isn't all fluffy pillows and bon bons for me.

tRidiot speaks true. And another good thing; you're one of the few that actually takes a personal responsibilty for your health. You'd be surprised how many diabetics eat what they want, when they want, smoke, drink, and rely solely on the doctors, nurses and meds for their health. Their family brings them food from Sonic while they're admitted to the hospital, often for blood sugars over 500 that we can't get to come down in the ER. It does me good to see that you take this seriously, tR is right, speak with your doc and with Walmart.

 

[71buickfreak]

tRidiot speaks true. And another good thing; you're one of the few that actually takes a personal responsibilty for your health. You'd be surprised how many diabetics eat what they want, when they want, smoke, drink, and rely solely on the doctors, nurses and meds for their health. Their family brings them food from Sonic while they're admitted to the hospital, often for blood sugars over 500 that we can't get to come down in the ER. It does me good to see that you take this seriously, tR is right, speak with your doc and with Walmart.

I was diagnosed in 2009, managed with diet and exercise for 2 years, then the nurse practitioner convinced me to try this new med which screwed me all up now I need meds to stay level. My last A1C was a 6.1.

 

[sh00ter]

Keep in mind that using some of these cards may entitle these companies to disclose information about you to third-party partner marketers. Thus... you use a card to get a discount on your metformin or glyburide and then you start getting deluged with junk mail at your home address from companies all trying to sell you diabetic testing supplies and various other crap.

Good way to save some bucks, perhaps... but also be aware that these companies do not exist solely for your benefit. They make money by selling your information to other people.

Forewarned.

The companies do not get my information...if I use a discount card, I get the negotiated volume price the company has for that drug, but I am not a "member" per say...the card is not specific to an individual and it is a violation of HIPAA laws for the pharmacy to disclose my information to a 3rd party that i have no affiliation with. I just use the card group number, etc and reap the benefits with no strings attached...The reason so many people are skeptical of these is because they don't know how they work...it is one of the few things I have seen that gives me a discount with no scams or strings attached...the way they make money is they get a cut of all sales that is run under their card. it doesn't come from me though.

But YES, I see why u think that and you bring up what should be and is a normal valid concern in things like this...I was skeptical too until I understood how they worked. It might be different if you go to a website and request a card, but if you pick one up at a pharmacy, there is no link to YOUR information for that company. But you are RIGHT...if that company had my info, then of course they'd sell it. I'm sure they do that for people who "sign up" to receive their cards via mail.

It would be much like if you had a buddy who worked at a shop, and you went into O'reilly Auto Parts and bought some brake pads under that shop's discount...you get the discount and the shop has no idea who you are.

 

[vvvvvvv]

it is a violation of HIPAA laws for the pharmacy to disclose my information to a 3rd party that i have no affiliation with. I just use the card group number, etc and reap the benefits with no strings attached...The reason so many people are skeptical of these is because they don't know how they work...it is one of the few things I have seen that gives me a discount with no scams or strings attached...

It would be much like if you had a buddy who worked at a shop, and you went into O'reilly Auto Parts and bought some brake pads under that shop's discount...you get the discount and the shop has no idea who you are.

Actually, the mail order, talk radio, and TV cards have clauses where you grant your consent to share that data, which makes it *not* a HIPAA violation. On the pick-it-up-at-the-counter cards, when the card is run there is some accounting of what orders the card was used. Typically, using the card has the same type of implied agreement of using a website - by merely using it you are agreeing to whatever terms the card is bound by, subject to change and likely without notification. You don't have to read the terms to be considered a party to the agreement, and you likely don't even have to see the terms (see: software - removing the shrinkwrap on a retail package or opening a downloadable is agreement to the terms contained within the package).

I'm skeptical of the cards because I know how they work. I've worked on processing systems for them. I also work with a ton of data on a regular basis and understand how what can seem anonymous by itself really isn't close to anonymous at all.

As for O'reilly Auto - credit card, check, signing the receipt, and timestamped surveillance... all for that fine occasion where the accounting department finds that a particular account is costing them an abnormal amount of money (it happens).