Medical Cost Comparison

Before we talk cost we have to think about the cost of what? I could put a price tag on an office visit but an office visit isn't a product. You want a product. You want to get well, Before we can talk about the price of the product it can only make sense if you compare it to the cost of "not getting the product". Compare it to getting more of what you are already getting. That too has a cost.

Typically a new patient has many problems. He has digestion trouble, heartburn, bloating, and or acid reflux. Typically sleeping problems, waking up in the middle of the night, having trouble falling back to sleep, twenty pounds overweight, chronic back pain, really tired and becoming more so, they are on antidepressants, or a list of other drugs, many have hot flashes , or will have them. All have weak adrenal glands, which cause all their problems to get worse. Many have thyroid problems, which also can cause all there problems to worsen.

The average new patient has spent time and money going to several different ordinary doctors to try to figure out what is wrong.

Most of the people who come here are already on a "program". I call it the "Ordinary, medical, symptom chasing, downward spiral, health care program".

So let's put a cost on that program.

The following is a chart that shows some typical symptoms that people come in with and the drugs that are often prescribed and how much that would cost for the rest of your life.

• Heartburn or acid reflux

• Prilosec 42 tablets - $30.00 X 30 years = $7,774.50
• Zantac 65 tablets $24.00 X 30 years = $4,051.50
• Generic Antacids 1 box $24.00 X 30 years = $2,628.00

• Depression -Antidepressants

such as:

• Zoloft 30 tablets $95.00 X 30 years = $34,602.00
• Wellbutrin 30 tablets $75.00 X 30 years = $27,375.00
• Effexor 30 tablets $65.00 X 30 years = $23,761.50
• Paxil 30 tablets $114.00 X 30 years = $41,610.00
• Prozac 30 tablets $110.00 X 30 years = $40,186.50

• Hot Flashes

• Estrogen : X 5 - 6 years
• Premarin 30 tablets $112.00 X 6 years = $8,168.70
• Estratest 30 tablets $ 80.00 X 6 years = $5,847.30
• Viagra 30 tablets $350.00 X 6 years = $25,557.30

• High Cholesterol

• Lipitor 80 tablets $90.00 X 30 years = $12,176.40
• Mevacor 1 pill $2.97 X 30 years = $32,521.50
• Zocor 80 tablets $90.00 X 30 years = $12,176.40
• Crestor 84 tablets $245.03 X 30 years = $31,974.00
• Advicor 60 tablets $181.64 X 30 years = $33,178.50

• Diabetes

• Metformin 60 tablets $45.00 X 30 years = $8,212.50
• Glipizide 90 tablets $42.00 X 30 years = $5,146.50

• High Blood Pressure

• Lisinopril 90 tablets $163.50 X30 years = $19,929.00
• Prinivil 90 tablets $142.70 X30 years = $17,410.50
• Prinzide 90 tablets $127.64 X30 years = $15,549.00
• Zestoretic 90 tablets $150.65 X30 years = $18,286.50
• Zestril 90 tablets $195.00 X30 years = $23,761.50

This is a typical example of how much medication a person is taking who comes in to see us. They could be taking more. So that is the initial ordinary medical program cost.

Prices based on averages obtained on the internet and based on 1 tablet per day. Some medications have dosages prescribed for 1 to 3 times a day or more.

AND YOU AREN'T ANY BETTER!

• So now you don't get any better and the heartburn becomes gall bladder disease.
• Gall bladder surgery = $4,000 - $6,000

• The acid reflux becomes a full-blown hiatal hernia
• The hernia operation = $3,900 - $4,600

• The estrogen from the Hormone Replacement Therapy may becomes breast cancer
• Breast Cancer Surgery = $12,000 - $15, 000

• What if the cholesterol lowering drug causes erectile dysfunction ?
• Men -Viagra 30 tablets $347.00

• The cholesterol lowering drug in women may cause s hormonal imbalances and decreased sex drive . Mental Stress - 1 hour with a counselor $75.00 for one year is $3,900
• This drug also affects your brain cells. So now you have nervous system problems so you end up going to several neurologists and other doctors trying to fix these NEW SIDE EFFECTS.

Doctor visits and tests $1,000.00's

• What if the antidepressants cause more digestive problems and mal-absorption.

So you go back to the ordinary doctors (internists) for more tests

• Upper and Lower GI $375.00
• Barium enema $200.00
• Swallow a camera $475.00
• Rectal Probe (sygmoidoscopy) $315.00

Now come more drugs!

• Stronger antacids $45.00 X 30 years = $16,425.00
• Steroids $75.00 X 30 years = $27,375.00

• By now you can't absorb or digest your food. Your hormones are so out of sorts you can't absorb or transport your minerals such as calcium. So you develop osteoporosis.
• Fosumex $60.00 X 30 years = $21,900.00

But this drug doesn't solve the problem.

• You fall and break your hip
• Hip replacement surgery $40,800.00

We haven't even mentioned lost wages - 1 week $2,000.00

Oh yes, the digestive disturbance in the small intestine and the antidepressant side effects in the small intestine damage the immune system so now you get more colds. Your doctors give you .

• Antibiotics - Amoxicillin $44.00

Combine this with everything else and think of other immune system problems such as, Cancer $10's of 1,000's

There is a reason that 1 out of 4 people in this country develop cancer.

All this and you are still ill and getting worse.

• Many will develop diabetes
• Insulin 5 doses $86.00 X 30 years = $188,340.00

• Diabetes causes kidney disease - dialysis is very expensive!
• Diabetes casues gangrene amputation is very expensive too!
• Diabetes can cause blindness

• Seeing eye dog ($6,000 to train)
• Care and Feeding per Month $75.00

Your body is trying harder and harder to push the toxins (drugs) around and it's stressing the heart causing a heart attack!.

Did I mention the cost of Coronary Bypass Surgery? $86,000.00

Do the math!

Doctor's visits

Tests

Emergency Room visits

Days lost from work

So tired you miss opportunities

Too tired to play with your kids

Stress on your marriage

It's Not Just Catastrophic Illness That Can Send Consumers Deep Into Debt

In a newly released Reader's Digest poll

• Two-thirds of adults 21 and older said they feel they "can't afford to be sick"
• Among those identified as middle class and "underinsured," one in three said that health care is "completely" or "mostly" unaffordable
• About half say they've put off or refused medical treatment for a serious condition, or delayed taking or renewing prescription drugs
• 46% have postponed routine annual physicals
• 27% have avoided surgery of some sort
• In our poll, nearly a quarter of the underinsured say they currently have overdue medical bills, and close to half have used credit cards to meet their health costs
• Nearly the same number has withdrawn money from their savings to settle their accounts.

That's not so surprising when you consider this: The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates that America's health care costs have risen at twice the rate of inflation since 1970. Total costs amount to about $2 trillion annually, with almost half of that government spending.

What's behind this enormous price tag? Here are the biggest components:

• Hospital care: $571 billion
• Doctor's services: $400 billion
• Prescription drugs: $189 billion
• Nursing-home care: $115 billion
• Private insurance: $96 billion
• Dental services: $82 billion
• Home health care: $43 billion

Source: Reader's Digest

All This Money Is Being Spent Treating Symptoms Not The Causes Of Those Symptoms. And People Aren't Getting Any Better.

YOU CAN GET BETTER! YOU CAN BE HEALTHY!

We are not saying in any way to get off any drugs that you are taking! Only do that with the advice and consent of your doctor! If you become healthy you may not need some or all of your drugs and then only get off of them with the consent and supervision of your doctor.