Dr. Ronda Marie Chakolis-Hassan

Again, we don't really necessarily have a good understanding about the structure and financing of healthcare in the United States.

Kind of going back to those commercials, we are one of two places in the world where people or pharmaceutical companies can

um, actually advertise, uh, directly to consumers.

It's here in New Zealand.

That should, that should tell you a lot.

So what is, what is, what is costs?

And so I think sometimes, um, I would love to work with colleagues to one, um,

Help people understand how things get from the lab to you in a prescription bottle or at the pharmacy.

Or even a better thing, what influences the cost for the individual in order for them to get that medication?

Are they insured versus uninsured?

Do they have a preferred pharmacy?

And now, in particular, what we're seeing with these GLP-1 medications,

products, the pharmaceutical companies dropping the cost to get them to consumers that eliminate some of those barriers, right?

Because again, the ideal is we have to accept that a lot of times, even though it's health, there's still a cost.

And a lot of times in terms of some of the institutions we deal with, they're businesses.

So these things aren't given away.

Great questions and great examples.

I think it goes back to what I was talking about, the rules of engagement.

And so understanding where your plan is, because there are rules that govern different plans based on where you're at in life.

So for example, when you work for an employer, you have employer sponsored insurance or commercial insurance.