Take advantage of your UPS healthcare before the switch to Teamcare

browned out

Well-Known Member
I see at least 2 benefits that are superior to Teamcare that we still can use due to the contract not being fully ratified. Brand name RX for free and Bariatric surgery. These will not be covered under the new plan.

What other benefits will UPSers be losing under Teamcare??? It would be nice to post a list so UPSers can take advantage of the Company Plan while we still have it.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Brand name scripts are a waste of money, and only pads the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies.

99.9% of the time this is true.

The last time my son was home we talked about the differences between brand name and generic medicine. He said there are companies overseas that can breakdown the ingredients found in brand name meds and create a similar generic version which is much cheaper and equally effective. It's called reverse something or other (I forgot the actual term). There is either a 5 or 7 year moratorium imposed to protect the major pharmaceutical companies but in some cases they waive this in exchange for a royalty. This is most prevalent in third world countries where the price of brand name medicine is often out of reach. I normally ask for the generic but there have been times when I have been told that there is no generic version or the brand name version works more effectively.
 

upschuck

Well-Known Member
There is either a 5 or 7 year moratorium imposed to protect the major pharmaceutical companies but in some cases they waive this in exchange for a royalty.
That is to recoup the R&D costs. After that time a lot of drug companies will make a new "extended release" version or the like and get a new patent and that time period again.
 

bottomups

Bad Moon Risen'
I see at least 2 benefits that are superior to Teamcare that we still can use due to the contract not being fully ratified. Brand name RX for free and Bariatric surgery. These will not be covered under the new plan.

What other benefits will UPSers be losing under Teamcare??? It would be nice to post a list so UPSers can take advantage of the Company Plan while we still have it.
Now you let the cat out of the bag. I expect a huge shortage of feeder drivers in the forseeable future as they take disability to address their weight issues before ratification.:balloon:
 

Ouch

Well-Known Member
Brand name scripts are a waste of mo,ey, and only pads the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies.
I always thought the same thing, you are right with 99% of that statement. My uncle Is a pharmaceutical rep and has always said get name brand for anything cardiovascular. He says their truly is an advantage to name brand when it comes to that.
 

upschuck

Well-Known Member
I always thought the same thing, you are right with 99% of that statement. My uncle Is a pharmaceutical rep and has always said get name brand for anything cardiovascular. He says their truly is an advantage to name brand when it comes to that.
Is your uncle a drug rep for a cardiovascular drug? Pardon my skepticism, but generics are suppose to be of the same potency as the name brand.
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
No that's so one can go from Huge to not so huge.

If you read up on it in most case in a year or two the person that had the surgery gains all the weight they lost to start back. Because instead of eating a lot of calories in 3 meals they now eat the same or more calories in smaller portions all day long.
 

FedExRookie

Well-Known Member
99.9% of the time this is true.

The last time my son was home we talked about the differences between brand name and generic medicine. He said there are companies overseas that can breakdown the ingredients found in brand name meds and create a similar generic version which is much cheaper and equally effective. It's called reverse something or other (I forgot the actual term). There is either a 5 or 7 year moratorium imposed to protect the major pharmaceutical companies but in some cases they waive this in exchange for a royalty. This is most prevalent in third world countries where the price of brand name medicine is often out of reach. I normally ask for the generic but there have been times when I have been told that there is no generic version or the brand name version works more effectively.

After a company makes a product, medicine, they have the rights to be the only company to produce that medicine for several years. The reasoning is so that they can get back the millions if not billions spent in R&D creating it, with a short bit of time in the tail end of the window to monopolize some profits. Once this time frame is over, other companies can start making generic brands, which are almost the exact same thing. So even the generic brands are filling the pockets of pharmaceutical companies that net billions a year. Generics just help fill the pockets of companies that copied a drug.
 

Ouch

Well-Known Member
Is your uncle a drug rep for a cardiovascular drug? Pardon my skepticism, but generics are suppose to be of the same potency as the name brand.
I agree they are suppose to be the same. I'm in no way a chemist so I really don't know other than the ingredients have to be grade a. He reps several different drugs for different conditions. Anti inflammatory drugs, cholesterol are 2 that I know of. I see what you're saying though.
 

gingerkat

Well-Known Member
The goal of bariatric surgery is to lose 70-75% of excess weight. Very few people actually get to "goal weight" or correct BMI. Bariatric surgeons will not perform any type of bariatric surgery without having you pass mental evaluations and having you do some pre surgery counseling to prove you are a good candidate.

Surgeons and insurance companies do not like to waste time or money on people that have not addressed mental/emotional eating habits. Like ups72 said a great many people gain a great deal of weight back.
 

Wally

BrownCafe Innovator & King of Puns
I see at least 2 benefits that are superior to Teamcare that we still can use due to the contract not being fully ratified. Brand name RX for free and Bariatric surgery. These will not be covered under the new plan.

What other benefits will UPSers be losing under Teamcare??? It would be nice to post a list so UPSers can take advantage of the Company Plan while we still have it.

The loss of Bariatric surgery seem hard to swallow.
 
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