Elder Care near Los Angeles: Generic vs. Brand Name Drugs

Elder Care near Los Angeles Asks about Drug Prescriptions

When you walk down the medicine aisle at your local grocery store, do you automatically pick up the name brand pain reliever? Or do you carefully read the contents of both the name brand and the generic version, checking to see if there’s really any difference? The truth is that, after a drug has been on the market for about a decade, the generic versions of it are usually identical. Elder care near Los Angles recently read, though, that many doctors continue to prescribe the more expensive name brands. Why?

Why Not?

The more relevant question is, “Why not?” That’s because, when a doctor writes a prescription for a senior patient covered under Medicare, he knows that the patient will only pay a low set price for it. The remainder of the cost will be paid by Medicare, whether it adds up to three or a hundred dollars! Since neither the doctor nor the patient will have to pay any more money for the choice, it is easy to choose the more recognizable brand. After all, the extra cost gets shifted to the government, which has plenty of money, right?

Wasting Medicare Money

Of course, Medicare is not an endless fountain of cash. A recent investigative report showed that even just one doctor who habitually prescribes name brand medications instead of their twin generic versions can easily waste millions of Medicare dollars. Currently, there is no consequence for this activity or oversight to question doctors on just why they choose more expensive prescriptions for their patients. Advocates for reform would like to see more pressure on doctors to save Medicare money in this area.

Eldercare in Los Angeles: Always Affordable

Seniors can help by asking their doctors to consider generic prescriptions instead of brand names, if there is no difference in quality. Fortunately, eldercare in Los Angeles is not affected by the confusion that regularly arises over Medicare funding. Contact us to find out how a qualified caregiver can help your loved one with affordable rates and excellent service.

Categorised in: Healthcare, Politics