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Who loves you? Wal-Mart or the US government?



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I hope you are right about the pricing. A Wal-Mart spokesman said on TV that people with Rx insurance would not be eligible for the discounted prices. How they would work that remains to be seen.

My Rx plan is wonderful for long term medication. We usually pay 25% or less for Rx drugs when the Doctor prescribes them in 3 month units, renewable 4 times.

However, for drugs bought at pharmacies, like anti-biotics, my plan is terrible. I needed an anti-biotic for a sinus infection recently and I paid $52 for a $57 drug at Wal-Mart.

As I mentioned, by long medication Rx benefit costs my x-employer very little, because they use mass buying power to negotiate low prices. That leverage is greatly reduced for short term usage.

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My drug plan carrier is Green Shield. For any prescription I pay 5 dollars. It used to be 35 cents but the company raised this to 5 dollars during contract negotiations a couple of contracts ago. The plan has saved me a fortune over the years. I am being treated for depression, something that runs in my family, and am on a raft of drugs for this as well as something for cholesterol and something else for incipient osteoporosis. The drug plan also permits my GP to prescribe high-tech antibiotics whenever I do have an infection.

The fact that we have universal health care up here in Canada has also saved my butt. My GP is comfortable sending me off for tests in order to ensure that none of these drugs have adverse side-effects.

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My drug plan carrier is Green Shield. For any prescription I pay 5 dollars. It used to be 35 cents but the company raised this to 5 dollars during contract negotiations a couple of contracts ago. The plan has saved me a fortune over the years. I am being treated for depression, something that runs in my family, and am on a raft of drugs for this as well as something for cholesterol and something else for incipient osteoporosis. The drug plan also permits my GP to prescribe high-tech antibiotics whenever I do have an infection.

The fact that we have universal health care up here in Canada has also saved my butt. My GP is comfortable sending me off for tests in order to ensure that none of these drugs have adverse side-effects.

According to the politicians here in Florida, you people in Canada really have it bad. In the USA, they claim, only about 45,000,000 people go without health insurance, but in Canada, everyone has second rate health care.

They tell me that 45,000,000 people doing without is a small price to pay so that the other 250,000,000 can have the wonderful capitalistic medical system provided in the USA.

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According to the politicians here in Florida, you people in Canada really have it bad. In the USA, they claim, only about 45,000,000 people go without health insurance, but in Canada, everyone has second rate health care.

They tell me that 45,000,000 people doing without is a small price to pay so that the other 250,000,000 can have the wonderful capitalistic medical system provided in the USA.

The politicians in Florida told you that Bush won the election, too. I'd watch out for those people, if I were you.

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The politicians in Florida told you that Bush won the election, too. I'd watch out for those people, if I were you.
I live in BuSh country. In 2008, Jeb will ascend to the Presidency followed eight years later by Barbara BuSh (not Jeb's mother; His niece).

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Ah, when politicians say that about the Canadian health care system that is just their big business backers talking. Canada is not as densely populated as the U.S. is and thus the majority of the folks up here who do have trouble with health care are those who live in small communities, particularly those that are remote from cities. These communities have troubles attracting doctors and of course are far from those centres where the big ticket high-tech diagnostic machines are. For someone who lives in a large city, as I do, treatment is good, even stellar. For those individuals who live in smaller centres falling sick can be a nightmare because it involves travel and sojourns out of town. I don't think that private health care would change this. It is unlikely that these resources would be shifted to thinly populated regions. They are simply too expensive.

My brother now practices medicine in the States. He says that one difference is that he can no longer freely pursue an avenue of investigation when treating a sick individual. He must juggle what he would like to do with what the economics (i.e. insurance) will permit him to do. This wasn't a concern before. (He is, by the way, very fond of his new country and is now a citizen.)

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Well can I take his place????? LOL I mean hey, I wanna move to Canada...I also have seen my greatest fear now materialized onto the computer screen.....GRRRRRRRRRRRR

Another Bush for president???? I am with Carline, shoot me too!!!!

And back to the topic of Wal-Mart...I boycotted them many years ago, due to the evils of their company.... but right now I pay over $100 for drugs each month....So maaaaaaaybe I will have to regroup when the savings get to Vegas.... Sucks not to have insurance!

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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