Website Concentrates On Filling Needs
Soma.com is the first Internet pharmacy to ink an agreement with Medicare.
For drugs covered by Medicare - most notably prescriptions to counteract immune system deficiencies such as AIDs, transplants, etc. - ordering online can avoid the pain of paying up front and filing forms for remuneration, Soma.com spokeswoman Sandy Sonnenseld said.
Medicare doesn’t currently cover the cost of most drugs. But both sides of the aisle in Congress are talking about Medicare reforms that include prescription drug coverage.
Meantime, Sonnenseld says, “Soma can deliver to your door overnight nine out of 10 drugs that you are buying cheaper than (from) a regular drug store. For anyone who wants price comparisons, we’ll gladly go through that process with them.”
The online pioneer provides uninterrupted access to pharmacists and online resources, including information on proper dosage, potential side effects, contraindications, and possible drug interactions.
Seattle-based Soma (www.soma.com) bills itself as the Net’s first full-line pharmacy. “We launched Jan. 15,” says Soma.com media relations specialist Rachel Templeton. “Other major players are Drugstore.com, second online, and Planetrx.com, third. Rx.com is nearing launch.”
“We’re different from the others,” she told me, “in that we focus on pharmaceuticals. We’re more interested in filling prescriptions than selling cosmetics.”
Soma.com has agreements with most major insurers. In all, the plans cover 139 million people.
Here’s a scene from a TV commercial that might cause older workers and retirees to scratch their heads. I know it did me.
The camera pans across a gaggle of laughing, leaping, frolicking elementary school kids bursting out of a schoolbus - arms, legs, sweaters and lunchboxes flying.
What a joyous, heartwarming sight.
“They skip into the building each morning - so young, so innocent, so helpless,” the rich, melodic voice of an off-camera announcer intones in awe, pauses briefly, then resumes on a puzzled note, “Are we speaking of your children? Or your consultant?”
With these words one of the world’s largest consulting firms sizes up the new crop of MBAs who will graduate this spring and immediately go to work as consultants. Raw, inexperienced recruits. Its own consulting staff, the prestigious oldline firm’s ad proudly proclaims, boast an average of 13 and one-half years experience.
From this, one might conclude that starting salaries for new consultants won’t be all that rich.
Wrong.
A survey of MBA candidates at 30 business schools found that soon-to-be business gurus expect a starting salary of $139,000 their first year. Except at Stanford University. Stanford students expect $165,000 their first year on the job.
Pollsters for the Kennedy Information Research Group said the compensation packages include an average $19,000 in signing bonuses. Many new recruits also receive tuition reimbursement.
Not bad for beginners.
Aging & Long Term Care of Eastern Washington will gather public comment in five counties next month to be included in the agency’s federal four-year needs plan in the area.
Meetings are scheduled May 4 in Spokane at 1222 N. Post; May 6 in Colville at Woody’s American Grill, 986 S. Main; May 7 at Pullman City Hall, 325 Paradise Road; May 10 in Republic at San Poil Apartments, 466 Thornton Drive, and May 12 in Newport at Hospitality House, 216 S. Washington. All times are 1 to 4 p.m.