A caravan of Americans is crossing the Canadian border to get affordable medial care

[Mormolyce]

A 'CARAVAN' OF AMERICANS IS CROSSING THE CANADIAN BORDER TO GET AFFORDABLE MEDICAL CARE

A "caravan" of Americans living with Type 1 diabetes made its way across the U.S. border into Canada over the weekend in search of affordable medical care in a country where they can get the "exact same" life-saving drugs for a dramatically lower price.

"We're on a #CaravanToCanada because the USA charges astronomical prices for insulin that most people can't afford," tweeted caravan member Quinn Nystrom as she shared updates on the journey.

Nystrom was among a group of Minnesotans who piled into cars on Friday to make the 600-mile journey from the Twin Cities to Fort Frances, Ontario, where she said insulin, the hormone patients with Type 1 Diabetes rely on to regulate their blood glucose levels, can be bought for a tenth of what it costs in the U.S.

The caravan was organized as part of a campaign launched under the banner "#insulin4all" to call on the U.S. government to regulate the cost of life-saving drugs, including insulin, and make medication affordable for anyone who needs it.

Calling the cost of insulin in the U.S. a "price crisis," the #Insulin4All group noted on its website that since the mid-1990s, the price tag on insulin in America has skyrocketed more than 1,100 percent, according to data from Truven Health Analytics, despite the cost of production for a vial of analog insulin costing less than $10.

A recently released report ordered by Representative Elijah Cummings, a Maryland Democrat who chairs the House Oversight Committee, found that millions of Americans who rely on insulin were paying up to 92 percent more for the lifesaving medication than patients in other countries.

Posting a photo of a Walgreens pharmacy store on the caravan's journey to Canada, Nystrom wrote that the group "could've ended our #CaravanToCanada in 5 minutes, but unfortunately, they charge $300 for insulin. So, we will travel another 5 hours north so we will only have to pay $30 for a vial of insulin."

Lija Greenseid, who joined the caravan on behalf of her 13-year-old daughter—who lives with Type 1 diabetes— told Newsweek that she first realized just how vast the difference was between the cost of insulin in the U.S. when compared with Canada while on a family vacation there years ago, when her daughter needed an emergency supply.

She said her family also has traveled to other parts of the world and consistently found the medication their daughter needs for a fraction of what it costs in the U.S.

Whereas in the U.S., Greenseid said, five insulin pens might cost $700, in Canada, purchasing the same amount of insulin cost her family just $65. In Italy, it was $61. In Greece, $51, and in Taiwan, even less, at $40.

Greenseid said in the U.S. the exorbitant cost of insulin has been a "big economic burden" on her family, with both her and her spouse being small business owners.

But, in Canada, not only was the cost of insulin dramatically lower, but gaining access to the type of insulin her daughter needed was also significantly easier.

"This year it took me 15 phone calls to a variety of parts of the healthcare system over 11 days before I could get my daughter's insulin refilled. And this is exactly the same insulin we've been getting for many years," Greenseid said. "But, in Canada, you just walk in and you buy it...It's literally just as easy as you know, walking up to the pharmacy counter and asking for what you need."

For Greenseid, the realization was a startling one: "It definitely illustrated for me how wrong it is that we're paying the prices we're paying. It just doesn't have to be like that. It feels frustrating," she said.

At the same time, she said that she takes some solace in knowing that she can turn to other countries, like Canada, to help get her daughter the life-saving medication she needs.

"There's a little bit of a sense of relief in knowing that only 5 hours away we can drive to Canada and easily get insulin, but it's a little crazy to rely on another country," Greenseid said. And, she said, heading north to Canada for medicine is "obviously not the solution to this problem."

"It's really a matter of making broader changes to the system," Greenseid said, before noting the recent push from lawmakers for the federal government to address the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs once and for all.

Indeed, in recent weeks, lawmakers have been drawing more attention to the high costs of drugs like insulin, as soaring prescription drug costs continue to be a top voter concern in polls.

President Donald Trump's administration has vowed to address calls for greater drug pricing regulation. But, Democrats, including Cummings, have criticized the U.S. leader for being all talk and no action on that promise.

"Tweets are not enough," Cummings said in a statement, after Trump lamented high drug costs on Twitter. "We need real action and meaningful reform," Cummings said.

https://www.newsweek.com/caravan-ame...l-care-1417582

The Canadians must turn back this tide of economic migrants before they bring their problems to Canada!

Jokes aside, here in Australia insulin is heavily subsidised and costs something like $4/mL. Needles, strips etc are free. It's almost unthinkable in most developed nations outside the US that a diabetic would be unable to afford their medication.

[Rennadrel]

If you don't have a Canadian citizenship and don't carry a medical card, you shouldn't even be seen by a doctor or hospital unless it's an emergency and you are going to die. Fuck these leeches

[Slirith]

If you don't have a Canadian citizenship and don't carry a medical card, you shouldn't even be seen by a doctor or hospital unless it's an emergency and you are going to die. Fuck these leeches

Don't cut yourself on all that edge

[Yadryonych]

They can pretend to seek refuge from tyranny of Dolan Trample as well

[Has lost its way]

I don't really get why people want to make this a black and white issue. Yes I think healthcare should be completely controlled by the state as you can't barter for better prices and services while having a heart attack making healthcare a poor fit for the capitalist model.

That said as a Canadian I will admit to having some pretty absurd wait times for even standard check ups much less specialized care. While I think the Canadian system is superior it isn't without its own issues.

[durenas]

Hell, it's not like insulin is a difficult substance to produce. There's plenty for all up here. I say let 'em in.

[XangXu]

No, I don’t want my tax dollars paying for scum Americans’ problems.

You know what the current American heathcare system serves as? Fucking population control. This is why I am firmly against Americans getting any sort of free healthcare. We don’t need these people breeding.

[Independent voter]

It's cheaper to buy pharmaceuticals in Mexico than Canada. If they're going to Canada, it's because they are close to the Canadian border. Otherwise they'd go to Mexico.

[cuafpr]

this could be and should easily fixed in the US without gov't controlled care. Congress should simply subpoena the records of the insulin manufactures and look at the profit per product.. if its more than say 10% force them to cut the price by law. if the profits are low then its going to cost a lot.

[Skulltaker]

https://www.newsweek.com/caravan-ame...l-care-1417582

The Canadians must turn back this tide of economic migrants before they bring their problems to Canada!

Jokes aside, here in Australia insulin is heavily subsidised and costs something like $4/mL. Needles, strips etc are free. It's almost unthinkable in most developed nations outside the US that a diabetic would be unable to afford their medication.

Soon, soon!

[Triggered Fridgekin]

Symptom to a much larger issue. There's no way they'll introduce some form of control and regulations over the industry because Big Pharma is likely in the pockets of those who actually have the ability to make it happen. There's no way Trump or the Senate will push for it either if they think it's something the democrats want because American politics has descended in to total party over country tribalism.

[Chonar]

Open your borders Canada, America is a third world country after all.

With the constant wars they're in, the extreme differences between poor and rich, and a completly dysfunctional political system spurring on mutual extremism. Don't you care for these poor souls?

[Bodakane]

I don't really get why people want to make this a black and white issue. Yes I think healthcare should be completely controlled by the state as you can't barter for better prices and services while having a heart attack making healthcare a poor fit for the capitalist model.

That said as a Canadian I will admit to having some pretty absurd wait times for even standard check ups much less specialized care. While I think the Canadian system is superior it isn't without its own issues.

I'll never understand this stance.

You know what has a longer wait time than Canada? Waiting to have the money to go to the doctor.

- - - Updated - - -

this could be and should easily fixed in the US without gov't controlled care. Congress should simply subpoena the records of the insulin manufactures and look at the profit per product.. if its more than say 10% force them to cut the price by law. if the profits are low then its going to cost a lot.

What you're describing is government control.

[Themerlin]

I don't really get why people want to make this a black and white issue. Yes I think healthcare should be completely controlled by the state as you can't barter for better prices and services while having a heart attack making healthcare a poor fit for the capitalist model.

That said as a Canadian I will admit to having some pretty absurd wait times for even standard check ups much less specialized care. While I think the Canadian system is superior it isn't without its own issues.

Its based on triage.

If its life threatening, you get faster service. If you are in pain but are not in life threatening danger, then you might have to wait a bit. (2-12 hrs)

Some fuckers I know abuse the system by knowing what symptoms to report in Emergency to get faster service, usually involving breathing.


After being in nearly 120 countries, Canada by far has the best medical system I have seen so far, the only exception was Brussels in Belgium, where the service was impeccable. That was nearly 20 years ago though. Allot can change in that time.

[NED funded]

This would probably be more effective if it wasnt so obviously a stunt.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

If you don't have a Canadian citizenship and don't carry a medical card, you shouldn't even be seen by a doctor or hospital unless it's an emergency and you are going to die. Fuck these leeches

You do know you can buy insulin with out seeing a doctor right?

[PACOX]

Americans are nothing but a bunch of gun toating, cheeseburger eating, pill popper. Lock them up in camps until you feel like shipping them back to Europe.

[XangXu]

Who would have thought that keeping taxpayers healthy and working was a smart idea? It’s almost as if they WANT people to have jobs and pay taxes.

Shit.

[alturic]

While Newsweek is down my list of reputable sources, two things I learned from this thread so far.

Citizens of other countries are against what is ultimately, legal immigration, to access services provided by said countries. If you were a US citizens with that view on hispanics (the overwhelming majority of which aren't coming legally), you would be crucified.

Businesses having more than 10% profit margins are evil. I'll be completely honest and say I do see both sides to the argument, I detest almost everytime government tries forcing businesses to do anything. I don't know, if there even should be, a solution to something costing $1 to produce and businesses charging more than $10 though, even medications. :-/ While you can argue there will always be a market for the medication so it would be more a volume business, again I just detest almost everytime government tries meddling with business.

EDIT: The question I have is this. The insulin that costs $xxx in the US but a fraction of that in Canada (or other countries), is it the same company? Same type? Same delivery mechanism?

If all of those are yes, I wouldn't be opposed to congress/senate holding hearing asking these drug manufacturer's why there is such a dramatic price difference for the exact same medication across countries. Of course it would be pointless as the answers wouldn't actually be provided but that would at least be a start to understanding why it's the case. At that point, it would almost seem like these companies use the US to subsidize low prices for other countries, because outside of that I can't see a valid reason. Unless there's things like much looser legal protections in the US, etc that these companies have to try offsetting potential losses.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

No, I don’t want my tax dollars paying for scum Americans’ problems.

You know what the current American heathcare system serves as? Fucking population control. This is why I am firmly against Americans getting any sort of free healthcare. We don’t need these people breeding.

If there coming over to buy insulin your taxes aren’t paying for them.