Comment by sillysaurusx | Hacker News Reader

Comment by sillysaurusx | Hacker News Reader

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Talk about impactful work. I wonder how many lives you've changed.

Well done. This is something close to miracle tech, at least for the people wearing it.

I can't help but feel curious whether they're a viable alternative to wheelchairs, or if it's a temporary feeling (kind of like riding on a rollercoaster, in that you go and do it for the experience and then return to your normal life). But that's just my ignorance talking.

Also, fuck the US insurance system. You won't find many topics that make me talk that way, but as I get older it feels something closer to pure evil. I've met so many people who have been screwed over by that system (and personally experienced my share of it).

There's a woman I've been texting with who I met at a gas station. She was clearly in distress, so my wife and I offered her a ride home. To cut a long story short, she spent her fourth of july miserable, and when I raised the idea of getting prozac or some sort of antidepressant (my own "miracle tech"), she said "Oh, I used to be on that. I can't afford it because no insurance" and I practically flipped my phone onto the concrete. She could be living a normal and happy life.

I can't imagine how much worse it is for parents who otherwise need to spend $thousands for alternative solutions like this. If you can make it in any way affordable, it'll change countless lives, I'm certain.

I used to be on that. I can't afford it because no insurance

If/when anyone runs into this regarding medications, be aware that even without insurance many pharmacies (at least in chains) have significant lists of medications available at very little or no charge. Companies like GoodRX can also lead to much lower prices, particularly on generics.

Meijer has free antibiotics and prenatal vitamins.

Walmart has a variety of medications for many conditions at $4 for 30 days and $10 for 90, as well as inexpensive insulin options (discussed here on HN within the last month or two - maybe not preferred fastest-acting options, but certainly better than 'rationing hoping I don't die')

Walgreens has a prescription savings club for $20-35/year that has 30-90 day supplies of generics at various price points between $5-15 for 30-day supplies and 10-30 for 90 day supplies

CVS has some kind of system that I didn't create an account to look at but is likely similar.

Costco has a Member Prescription Program and has all their medication prices available on the site, and the pharmacy can be used for prescriptions even without a membership.

Kroger has a prescription savings club linked to GoodRX that has prescriptions at $0/3/6/9, with a membership of $36/72 year individual/family.

None of these plans are going to cover the medications being advertised on TV, but they're going to provide coverage for a lot of long-term proven generics that treat conditions that have been around as long as humans have. They may not be AS effective (or perhaps they just lack marketing budgets), but if they weren't at least SOMEWHAT effective they wouldn't still be around as generics.

And if you've read this far and are interested in other information on keeping medical care less expensive, I highly recommend looking up the Arm and a Leg Show podcast for a lot of useful information.

Thank you! I'm actually going to forward this over to her. This is super helpful.

Some of the newer antidepressant manufacturers offer income-based coupons that cover the costs of the medications, as well.

Although Prozac has been generic forever, and depending where you live, you might be able to get a 30 day supply for a few bucks. Walmart has it for $4.

The expensive part is regularly seeing a doctor for prescription refills. Depending on the state and her income, she might be eligible for expanded Medicaid, though.

This is what's known as doing the bare minimum to keep the guillotines put away

> Talk about impactful work. I wonder how many lives you've changed.

$1000/mo for a rental. People without insurance need not apply.

Expensive, but many families spend more on physio and other professionals (150$-300$ per hour). When we are talking about children's health and future, parents will raid their pensions accounts, grandparent's etc...

Hopefully once they get more popular, the government will pay for it to setup in Rehabilitation centers. From what I saw right now it's mostly private centers that are buying it (US/Canada).

New tech is always expensive at first. Selling something for $1k/month is better than not selling it at all. If these things were easy to make cheaply someone would be doing it.

It doesn't always need to be expensive, but it also isn't always inexpensive upfront. And the comment you reply to makes a plea about the price.

Price doesn't mean you haven't changed a lot of lives either: In addition, a lot of folks that can't walk are covered by some sort of government-provided insurance. Unfortunately, it doesn't really help all that much because insurance limitations don't always cover everything or cover enough.

I'll also say that it is a lot for a single person/family: It isn't nearly as much at a daycare, school, physical therapy and other such things. I'd not be surprised if such places weren't their most common home.

$1k a month seems downright cheap compared to many medical treatments.

Hospital visits in the US average $11.7k for a full stay[1]. Antiviral treatments for Hepatitis C like Harvoni and Sovaldi cost $16k-90k for 12 weeks, though you can go with a generic version for $5k-10k a month.

[1] https://www.debt.org/medical/hospital-surgery-costs/

Try cancer meds, Revlimid is 20k for the rest of your life or at least some years.

Everyone in the US has access to health insurance under Obamacare. Whether or not health insures will pay $1000/mo is a different issue.

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