High Altitude Thinking

Tuesday’s New York Times ran a piece entitled “Risks Seen in Cholesterol Drug Use in Healthy People.”  I don’t typically read these, but the headlines caught my attention.

In summary, after a study of about 18,000 people over a little under 2 years (versus a planned 5 year study), in February the FDA approved a new criteria for the use of Crestor, the second best selling statin after Lipitor.  The new criteria would apply to a selection of “apparently healthy people” albeit other criteria, such as elevated inflammation in the body, would indicate some perceived increase risk level.  It is estimated that the change in criteria would add 6.5 million people to the already 80 million people who exceed the existing cholesterol-based guidelines.  About 40 million take statins.  A downside the article mentions is a potential increase in the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes – maybe up to 9%.

It is also noteworthy that Crestor has patent protection until 2016 and the drug costs patients about $3.50/day or more than $1,200/year.  If the same proportion of people take the statin as today (roughly 50%), the math would imply that this could expand sales of Crestor a few billion per year.

The article also focuses on the debate as to whether this is a good thing given the cost/benefit of putting these “apparently healthy people” on medication.

I don’t have any issues with someone spending $3.50/day of their own money, but it does raise a few questions in my mind.

• Exercise and diet.  Have these become such foreign concepts that they are dismissed from the outset?
• Will insurance companies pick up the tab?  If so, how do we ever expect to get a grip on healthcare costs with what appears to be fairly liberal standards?
• If someone elects to take statins as a preventive measure under this new approval, will it not have negative impacts for any life or health insurance coverage they may seek in the future?
• This is just one drug.  What others may be on the horizon under similar standards of application?

I don’t know the right answer, but I feel that we are offering people an easy way out.  Just take another pill.  At the end of the day, maybe we make it too easy to turn people into patients.

BA

I somehow found myself on this April Fool’s Day checking out some quotes by P.J. O’Rourke, the political satirist and former editor of National Lampoon.  I thought I would share a few below.

The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop.

If you are young and you drink a great deal it will spoil your health, slow your mind, make you fat – in other words, turn you into an adult.

I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a “learning experience.” Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I’ve done as a “learning experience.” It makes me feel less stupid.

There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences.

I was referred by a friend to an insurance company that he had recently switched to that he thought would definitely reduce my premiums.  Sounded like a good idea.

We live in a quiet, rural part of the US.  As proof, the image below shows our neighborhood.

Author's Neighborhood Outside Tabernash, Colorado

When I initially received a phone call from the agent, she immediately identified us as a good opportunity (for them).  With two homes, three cars, and a personal liability policy in the offer, we would make a nice customer addition.

Initially it took a few days for them to determine whether they could provide the type of coverage we required.  But ultimately that was resolved to their satisfaction.  Then began the telephone interview.

All proceeded normally with regards to our primary residence.  What’s it made of?  How many people live in the house?  How close are you to the fire station?

Then she asked, “Do you have pets?”

I answered, “Why in fact we do have pets.  We have three dogs.”

“What kind of dogs?”, she replied.

“We have two German shepherds and one Boston Terrier.”

She remarked “German shepherds are an aggressive breed.  Do you have a fence?”

“A what?”

“A fence,” she repeated.  ”Dogs like that need to be contained behind a fence.”

I pleaded my case. “What?  I live in the middle of the country.  Our closest neighbor is over a 100 yards away.  No one even uses a leash up here.  We have some dogs in the neighborhood that ‘patrol’ on their own.  Even if we wanted a fence, the deer would have it knocked down in a season.”

“Well, we’ll see.” she said. “Let’s proceed on with the questions.”

The rest of the interview about our home went without incident.  So upon completion, she hits the submit button and instantly – “DECLINED!”

“Yeah, I was afraid of that,” was the response.  ”You’ll need to find another agency that doesn’t ask about dogs.”

Oh boy, seems that health insurance is not the only one that needs some repairs.  I now wonder if my home has a pre-existing condition.

BA