<p>JYM, LOL post 59. Pepsi did an ad in 2001 featuring Bob Dole (a Viagra spokesman after 1996) leering at Britney Spears.</p>
<p>I remember, Marite. And Jimmy Carter lusted in his heart… and Clinton… well… lets not go there. Why exactly is anyone supporting the insurance reimbursement for viagra? Oh yeah… these industries and the governmental agencies are run largely by men.</p>
<p>Along the same lines, I once lived in a state where there was a “luxury tax” on many paper goods. Including “feminine sanitary products.” Luxury?? </p>
<p>Wis75, bravo.</p>
<p>Viagra does not have a generic competitor (yet). PFE lobbied hard to make Medicare cover the stuff and pressured insurance companies. Just read PFE’s statement when coverage for Viagra was dropped:</p>
<p>[The</a> Seattle Times: Health: Medicare limits coverage for Viagra](<a href=“http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2003543589_viagra27.html]The”>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2003543589_viagra27.html)</p>
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<p>BC pills are mostly “generic”, so there is no powerful lobbying behind them.</p>
<p>wis75 - great post.</p>
<p>Interesting logic. Certainly <em>identification</em> of reasons for “ED” can have additional medical benefits–heart disease, diabetes, et al–but <em>treating</em> it isn’t going to do a damn thing for the underlying condition, I would venture to guess.</p>
<p>Consolation-
Treating it (the ED) might exacerbate the underlying condition (heart disease) -think Nelson Rockefeller!</p>
<p>Teriwtt, I also had headaches from BCPs. It scared the heck out of me, and I stopped taking them. D talked to her doctor about taking them to help with really bad cramps (and acne), but her doctor discouraged it. D gets migraines as it is, and doctor told her that there is evidence of blood clots/stroke incidence in women who are prone to migraines. Since D doesn’t need BCPs for birth control, doctor felt it would be best to try other means of relief.</p>
<p>If your D needs BCPs (and I know that we all have to weigh risks compared to gains), I would suggest she talk to her doctor about another type of BCP. It seems like there are so many different types these days, maybe something different will work better for her. </p>
<p>As for the yes-Viagra/no-BCP insurance thing, there is NO medical reason that men NEED to have sex. Sorry, but they won’t die if they can’t make things work. They might think they will, but they won’t. Women, on the other hand, actually CAN die from pregnancy. We definitely know which sex makes the decisions on this stuff.</p>
<p>Since men think they will die if the don’t have sex, why not use their “need” for Viagra to balance the budget or at least supply free drugs to those with no prescription insurance - like me? How much do you think they would pay for those little pills? </p>
<p>Kelsmom - my D also suffers from migraines - and nothing she has tried really works. Would you mind PMing me if you have have recommendations?</p>
<p>Erectile dysfunction drugs are on the list of no coverage drugs for Medicare Part D. Viagra will be covered if it is being used for pulmonary hypertension, though. Viagra is heading towards the end of its patent life. The clear cut majority of insurances do not cover ED drugs.<br>
In Illinois, law more or less mandates coverage of BCP. I have never seen insurance deny a claim for BCPs, but have seen the majority deny claims for ED drugs.
BCPs are not OTC because of the estrogen. Plan B which doesn’t have estrogen is OTC. Also, there is a feeling with some physicians that women should be checked out before prescribing BCPs. Lately, there has been a push for a third class of drugs. For this class, no prescription will be required, but they will have to be purchased behind the counter directly from a pharmacist. BCPs have been one of several classes discussed for this new class, if it is approved by the FDA.</p>