Big Pharma favors richer, healthier people.

Big Pharma Gouges the Poor with Insulin, Thanks to the GOP

The University of Southern California released research ^1 this week exposing the shocking disparity in access to vital prescription drugs for the treatment of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. The study found a staggering 442% increase in prescriptions for semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic ^2, Rybelsus ^3, and Wegovy ^4, between January 2021 and December 2023.

While the demand for these life-saving medications soars, the reality is that only those with private insurance can afford them. Medicaid and Medicare patients, often from marginalized communities, are being denied coverage for these prescriptions, which can cost over $10,000 a year. The study found that less than 1% of prescription fills went to people paying in cash ^5, highlighting the stark inequality in our healthcare system.

The GOP's relentless war on Medicaid and Medicare is condemned by lead author Christopher Scannell, who stated:

"If only certain patient populations get access to these medications — those primarily with private insurance, more generous health plans — then there's a huge percentage of the U.S. population that isn't getting access to these medications" ^6

Private Insurance Privilege

The privileged few with private insurance are far more likely to have their prescriptions filled. While Medicare, a program meant to support our seniors, is prohibited by Republican-led laws ^7 from covering drugs for obese patients unless they have serious risk factors. Meanwhile, Big Pharma rakes in billions, with Medicare spending on just three drugs increasing from $57 million in 2018 to a staggering $5.7 billion in 2022 ^8.

And who foots the bill? It's the taxpayers, of course, with experts estimating that if just one in ten eligible adults take Wegovy, it will cost Medicare's Part D prescription drug coverage a monumental $3 billion each year ^9.

This is yet another example of the systemic oppression faced by underprivileged Americans, as Big Pharma profits from the suffering of the vulnerable, all with the Republican Party's blessing.