First, speaking only for myself and not the other two parties involved, I’d like to say sorry. Sorry for keeping your health insurance premiums, co-pays, and the like higher than they should be. In my defense I’m perhaps the only person not making a profit from my actions. I am reaping the meager benefits till next year when rates are likely to go up again. For quite a while I’ve seen tv ads for all manner of medications that end with the narrator speaking a wonderful phrase. The exact wording may not be the same but essence of it is they’re generously offering to help pay for their life improving product.

Granted I’m still actively hunting for the perfect job but I can easily afford my normal co-pay for non-generic meds. But there I was, sitting in my doctor’s office going over the results of my latest checkup and he suggested I try this new prescription. We have a relationship going back over a decade and he knows I ask for generic meds when available. Again not because of its cost to me but to the system as a whole. I’m just trying to do my small part to keep costs down for everyone just like doing my small part selecting products made from recycled materials or not mowing the lawn midday during poor air quality days. So he tells me now to worry and hands me this little card. With it my out of pocket costs won’t be more than $10. What it really means is that the cost to my health insurance company is going to be significantly higher than if I had gone generic.

And just like that I found myself in the middle of the eternal battle between “Big Pharma” out to make as much profit as possible and Health Insurance companies trying to control costs thus make a larger profits themselves. As for me? I ended up paying the $10 as promised instead of just north of $50 for the same 30 day supply. I can’t begin to imagine how much more it cost my insurance to pick up the balance. The difference in co-pay is designed to nudge folks like you and me to the generic option when one is available. In truth, the new meds worked just as well as what I had been using before so I’ll be a good consumer and change back.

I’ve got one more refill left on this discount card though so I’ll make the change next year. It’ll be my New Year’s resolution and probably the only one I’ll actually manage to keep.