“Paging ‘American Healthcare Reform,’ paging ‘American Healthcare Reform’… you’re needed in the OTC Pharmacy – STAT!”

[ed. note: I wrote this post accompanying some photos I’d made and posted to my Flickr site back around October 2009.]

He wanted some OTC ranitidine. I told him, “Get omeprazole!” But he didn’t, saying he wanted more rapid relief.

So… guess what!?!

It just so happened, that at the checkout stand in front of us was a Big Pharma sales rep. She said, “Use this!,” and pulled out a Zegerid® bottle from her purse, and showed it to us. I asked to see it, read the label and exclaimed, “It’s omeprazole and bicarb!”

“Yes,” she replied. “But it’s not enteric coated, and your doctor has to prescribe it.”

I knew what that meant. Big Pharma’s gonna f*%# you for all you’re worth.

“How much does this cost?,” I asked.

She said, “Your insurance company will pay for it.”

I repeated, “How much does it cost?”

“It depends,” she hesitated.

“If I go out and pay cash money for that stuff, how much will I pay?,” I insisted irritatedly.

“About $190,” she said.

“See? That’s one reason why we’re being so screwed over in this nation by Big Pharma!”

As we walked out to the car, I told Wade, “Get a mortar and pestle, go buy your OTC omeprazole ($15.98/28-20mg), crush it up, throw some bicarb to it (<$1.00), and voila! You have the same exact thing they’re charging four arms, three legs and your first born for.”

And some folks believe we don’t need healthcare reform.

Yeah… right.