Need more proof of price gouging?  

• Sovaldi, a pill that could treat the potentially lethal Hepatitis-C, cost as much as $1000 a pill, thanks to Gilead Sciences, Inc.
• Retrophin bought Thiola, a pill that treats the incurable cystinuria, which affects the kidneys. They changed the price from $1.50/pill to more than $30/pill.
• Valeant Pharmaceuticals raised the price of Glumetza, a pill for diabetes, from $896 to over $10,000 shortly after acquiring it. The cost of Syprine was raised from $1400 to over $21,000; Cuprimine, $888 to over $26,000; and Isuprel from $4500 to nearly $37,000.
• Data released by the Institute for Health and Socio-Economic Policy showed that hospitals in the 2011-2012 fiscal year charged, on average, 331% of the actual cost of treating someone.

The side effects of America’s health care, it seems, must be poverty.