Drug companies winners of the American prescription drug debate

On Dec. 15, the Obama Administration rejected a plan to allow the wholesale reimportation of cheaper prescriptions drugs from abroad, despite projected intentions to take on the drug industry and secure cheaper prescription for Americans.

"Americans are still paying up to 70 percent more for drugs than people in Canada, Australia, the UK, New Zealand and India," said Gary Ryan, general manager of Betterthanmedicare.com (http://www.betterthanmedicare.com), a Canadian-based alternative to Medicare - and high drug prices in general. "While the Obama Administration struck down the possibility that cheaper prescription meds can be brought into the U.S. on a wholesale basis, the good news is that there is no change for Betterthanmedicare.com customers, who can still order from us directly."

Betterthanmedicare.com offers discounts of up to 70 percent off many top brands by leveraging the power of its relationships with leading pharmaceutical suppliers. These discounts are passed directly to consumers, enabling them to save thousands of dollars annually. In fact, these savings are available to everyone, not just patients over 65 or on Medicare. There are no restrictions on who qualifies to enroll in Betterthanmedicare.com. It's all-inclusive, with no gimmicks or coverage gaps.

"The drug companies - who donate millions to political parties every year - may be the winners of the American prescription drug debate," said Ryan. According to published reports in the Houston Chronicle, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget office estimated that the rejected plan would have saved the federal government $19 billion over the coming decade - and American consumers four times that amount.

While some senators tried to pander to public fear, raising questions about drug safety, the reality is that foreign governments in Canada, Europe, the UK, Australia and India have strict requirements, similar to the requirements in the U.S., for the manufacturing of medications. In some cases, drugs sold in other countries were originally manufactured in the U.S. and repackaged for sale overseas. Generic medications are manufactured and inspected according to the same stringent regulations as brand-name drugs, but they cost considerably less.

What makes Betterthanmedicare.com better than mail-order pharmacies is its ability to beat Medicare prices, said Ryan. The Betterthanmedicare.com website includes pages dedicated to frequently asked questions, prescription drug costs and comparisons, and real examples of how Betterthanmedicare.com is truly better than Medicare.