There’s no such thing as a free lunch. But that won’t stop your doctor from taking one.
A startling new study exposes how doctors are getting “free” lunch from Big Pharma reps and then returning the favor by dashing off prescriptions for that company’s meds.
And they’re not doing it a little. They’re pulling this stunt A LOT.
In fact, the scheme works SO well for Big Pharma that every buck they spend on lunch leads to $2.64 in drug prescriptions.
Allow me to demonstrate how big a deal that is…
Imagine having $100,000 in your bank account, which turns into $264,000 in a year. In the second year, that $264,000 would turn into $696,960. And at the end of year three, you’ll have nearly $2 million in the bank.
You’d never have to work again. And that’s the kind of return Big Pharma gets for its “free lunch” programs aimed at wining and dining doctors.
But I’m here to change the menu and put docs on notice. Because today, I’ve got just what you need to make sure you’re not being sold out for the price of a soup and sandwich.
1 in 3 docs may be trading prescriptions for “gifts”
The most infuriating part of this system isn’t just that it exists.
That’s bad enough, but it’s no shocker. I’ve warned you about it before, and the new study only confirms that nothing’s changed.
No, the real outrage is just how little value they place on you. Because drug companies don’t have to take docs to dinner at the Four Seasons to get them to write prescriptions for meds you don’t want or need.
Nope… some docs will sell you out for the price of lunch at Denny’s. Grand Slam, thank you, ma’am!
The new study finds 1 in 5 seniors on Medicare Part D on name-brand drugs got that prescription from a doctor who had been treated to an “incentive.” And nearly 1 in 3 docs analyzed had received at least one “incentive,” then prescribed a drug.
What’s an incentive? You’re not going to believe this.
More than 95 percent were meals… and 80 percent were under $20. Yes, Denny’s. Or something a whole lot like it.
Sadly, this isn’t even surprising. One study not too long ago found that just $7 in “gifts” can change a doctor’s prescription habits. That’s not even Denny’s – that’s a donut and coffee.
Check up on your OWN doc
It might seem like a “no-win” situation. But it isn’t.
You CAN figure out if your doctor’s being paid off because they’re not allowed to keep this stuff secret anymore. Even little things… like that lunch at Denny’s… have to be reported to a special database since it COULD influence whether a doc writes a prescription or not.
Better still, it’s one ANYBODY can access. You just need to know where to look.
Here’s how to find it…
Search Google for “Open Payments” to find the database (it’s at CMS.gov). Once on the page, you can search for all your doctors and specialists. You’ll be able to see who’s paying him or her, how much, when it was, and what it was for. Even dentists are listed.
If your doc is getting a lunch here or there – or occasional payments for anything else – it doesn’t mean he or she IS crooked. But it DOES mean you need to be more careful.
Ask why they’re offering you a prescription. Why you need it. If the drug is absolutely necessary. And most importantly, what OTHER options you have.
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