Private payers are free to do that, but don't. The reason why they don't is because they have customers and telling someone "no you can't have this drug" makes people really upset.
I'm not sure Medicare would have much more success in that area. I could imagine politicians phones ringing off the hook with call from retirees stating "why won't you pay for my drug"?
Because most patients are not competent to source alternatives.
Lets be honest, apart from generics, are you able to dive through source material to find older, equally effective, but with different side effect drugs?
Private payers are free to do that, but don't. The reason why they don't is because they have customers and telling someone "no you can't have this drug" makes people really upset.
I'm not sure Medicare would have much more success in that area. I could imagine politicians phones ringing off the hook with call from retirees stating "why won't you pay for my drug"?