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Comment by gdy | Hacker News Reader

In Russia all patients get their insulin for free thanks to mandatory health insurance (5.1% of your net salary additionally paid by employer).

If for some reason you would want to buy insulin, it would cost you 2-12 usd per vial/cartridge (3ml x 100units)

A cartridge of most modern European or American rapid insulin costs 5 usd [0][1] and the most modern long or ultralong insulins cost 9-12 usd [2][3]. Russian own insulins cost 2-4 usd per vial/cartridge.

Do you know why the same companies charge you at least 10 times more than a Russian citizen?

I wander what are the 'huge problems with healthcare in America' if overpaying 10 times for insulin isn't one of them?

[0] https://apteka.ru/product/apidra-solostar-5e32673ae911440001...

[1] https://apteka.ru/product/xumalog-5e327a1eae8baf00014d54fa/

[2] https://apteka.ru/product/lantus-solostar-5e32673a3d4c470001...

[3] https://apteka.ru/product/tresiba-flekstach-609a3db8c93e31dd...

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What do unemployed Russians do for health care?

Greets from curious person in the USA.

Hi there!

They only need be registered as unemployed. The law [0] is in Russian but Google Translate does a good job [1], see 5.d

Free medical care in Russia is far from perfect, of course -- sometimes you have to wait for a month for an ultrasonic scan, sometimes they give you Russian insulin instead of Danish, but they will save you from a heart attack, install a stent and provide with necessary medications for at least a year.

[0] http://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_107289/7e136d...

[1] https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=http:...

Thanks!

I hear about the EU a lot. It is nice to get some perspective from your part of the world.

Cheers

Not sure about Russia but where universal healthcare exists, you don't lose acces to it when you don't work/pay.

They go do the doctor as they would normally do and when they start working again they'll start paying their share.

That's how it is in Spain. Also if you don't work, you don't pay the drugs, at least some of them. But the subsidized part of the price depends on your income.

Looks like Russia covers a year solid for unemployed people.

See reply above.

Oh, no, sorry, it's the same for everyone. I meant a year is how long they think one needs to use medication to avoid repetition of a heart attack, that was just an example. If one needs further help, one will get it.

Great. Thanks again.

Isn't this an example of monopoly pricing?

I honestly don't know

Nobody pays list price in the US.

This is not true.

sort of true and sort of not.

If you are on some 'plan' then you are mostly likely not paying list. Your insurance company usually has cut some sort of deal with the distribution company. Usually that 'deal' includes not telling you about their deal and showing you only list price.

If you are not on a plan. Sometimes you can ask 'hey is there a no plan version' and sometimes they do have it. That can be hit or miss depending on who is working the register that day.

If you are not on a plan and they say 'nope thats the price' then you end up in that category.

What was stated was "nobody pays list price," and as you said: you can end up in that category. Yes, many people do not, but some people do.

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