You mean these technologies that we have been clamoring for, and Dexcom had to:
1. Invent it at risk to the company and investors 2. Get it through the testing process, so no one would be harmed by the technology, and it did what they intended it to do.
3. Submit to the FDA for approval, with which, they couldn't sell it in the USA. (See Animas VIBE...)
4. Market it to the public against competition (who has a T:Slim pump, or the Animas vs. Minimed controversy)
5. Manufacture them in a cost efficient manner.
6. Make a profit for their original investors, and keep the company going. (Yes, the profit motivator is a good thing. Who would invest if they just broke even?)
As I have told my 7 year old daughter, demand drives price. She can sell lemonade on a hot summer day for $1/cup, as long as it is good, but in the snow, she'd be lucky to sell it for a dime.
Your pic displays the billed amount which is usually a high amount which has nothing to do with the actual paid amount by the insurance company. The actual paid amount varies depending on the agreement with the insurance company, in my case it was a bit over 50% (see attached).
BTW, these are orders of Seven+ (sensors, entire unit) and maybe glucometer strips from couple years ago just to illustrate my point.
Such is life with healthcare in the US. I recently had blood work done - coded as 4 or 5 different tests. The "price" was listed as nearly $600. The cost to my insurance company was about $60. My 10% copay was about $6.
Healthcare "cost" in the US is comical - the reason that most of our bankruptcies are due to medical costs.
Insurance companies are for-profit businesses. They are not in business to "take care of their customers" any more than Dexcom or Wal-Mart. The insurance business in its entirety is at least as evil as any other business.
