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Paying for medicines: copays and deductibles

How do copays and deductibles work? Why is paying for medicine so complicated? In the first of two videos on paying for medicines, an overview of over the counter and prescription drugs is provided.  Created by Brookings Institution.

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  • male robot hal style avatar for user Wudaifu
    From -, when the speaker is describing the number of prescriptions per year that folks of various ages use, is he including refills of the same medication as separate prescriptions or is he only counting prescriptions that are for a totally different medication? For example, many pharmacies will only dispense a certain supply of medication (like a 1, 3, 6 or 12 month supply). How many prescriptions would the speaker say a person is using per year if he takes only one medication for his high blood pressure, but has to visit the pharmacy 4 times per year to obtain additional supplies of the medication?
    (5 votes)
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  • leaf green style avatar for user Geraldine Lavallee
    The insurance company is going to "help the patience make better decisions about their medications"

    My question is---better decisions for whom?
    (3 votes)
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  • leaf red style avatar for user Noble Mushtak
    Are co-pays and deductibles separate plans or are they together? Does a deductible of $400 mean that after the patient has paid $400 out-of-pocket, the insurance will cover everything or the patient will only have to pay the co-pay?
    (2 votes)
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  • blobby green style avatar for user mendysrl
    What is the account most cost in hospital budget ,how can you outline way to keep this cost under control?
    (1 vote)
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  • blobby green style avatar for user mrk79blr
    a) How we can say we will go with Genric medicine instead of Branded one? Normally we goto doctor and they prescribe the medicine. We goto medical shop and get medicine.
    We are not saying Genric or Brand as we dont care. But what doctor wrote they are going to give medicine. So where the option will be given to choose genric medicine?
    b) How we know the doctor fee or medicine will come under CoPay or Deductible?
    c) Even after paying lot of premium per month why still copay and Deductible? Premium itself too high even after that why Copay and other cost?
    d) Why Dental treatment comes with Cap? As per my understanding Dental treatment only $1500 covered per year for a family. You know one dental treatment like root canal will be nearly $2000 cost. So why insurance is limiting to $1500 that also for the whole family?
    d) will Co-Pay money what we pay will be consider in Deductible spend?
    (1 vote)
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Video transcript