When it comes to having a prescription filled, anyone can see that the Pharmaceutical companies abuse their power over health insurance providers even more so.

Just recently, my eye doctor prescribed some antibiotic eye drops to treat a minor eye infection. Waiting at the pharmacy where the prescription was to be  filled, the cashier asked me to jot down the name of my insurance provider and a telephone number where they could reach me. After asking curiously what the problem was, the cashier informed me that the prescription cost was $350.00 and that they needed to check whether my insurance covered that.

Bear in mind that the prescription drug in question was nothing but a 5 mL bottle of anti-biotic drops. Naturally, I refused the prescription and contacted my eye doctor to prescribe a more affordable medication that did not require my taking out a loan to pay for it. After accepting apologies, another prescription for a generic brand antibiotic eye drops was called into the pharmacy by the doctor, who claimed he had no idea as to the cost of the medications he prescribes. It was suggested that I call the pharmacy prior to picking up the prescription and that if still too expensive, to get back to him.

Sure enough, I called the pharmacy beforehand to check on the cost of the prescription the doctor had assured would do the same job as the first one prescribed. Can you imagine my surprise when I was told $4.00 (a whopping $346 difference). When both the eye doctor's office and the pharmacy cashier were asked whether any other patients had complained about the exorbitant cost of the eye drops first prescribed, they said that most people just pay their $20 co-pay and assume their insurance will cover the rest and do not even question the price.

This was not the first time being charged an outrageous prescription cost (over $150) for antibiotics  finding that only after refusing them, a generic brand of exactly the same drug was prescribed for about $6.00.

According to RxRights.org, a coalition concerned about the high cost of U.S. pharmaceuticals, prescription drugs in the USA cost twice as much as people in other industrialized countries because big pharmaceutical companies engage in underhanded tactics like price fixing and censorship.

Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission said in a report released in January 2010, "Consumers are forced to pay inflated prices or forgo their medication because of these "pay-for-delay" deals in which brand name drug makers pay their generic competitors to keep cheaper alternatives off the market. When drug companies agree not to compete, consumers lose."

Maybe to start by cutting the abuse of the pharmaceutical companies and medical industry would be a much better solution for America's health care.

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