Cheapest Prescriptions and Medications Discussion

theadore_2

vegetable wrote:

Actually, if anyone under 25 is living on the English/Welsh border they can hop over to Wales and get their prescriptions completely free of charge.

Don't you need to be registered to a welsh address??

theadore_2

dave.h wrote:

Some medications cost less than £6.50 to the nhs for example some common antibiotics and diuretics. The NHS therefore makes money out people paying the prescription charge for these. Some kind GP's may give you a private prescription for these so that you pay the cost of the drug plus the pharmacist's charge to dispense - beacuse they will not be able to claim this from the NHS normally. One could argue strictly this is against the GP rules, but I can't really see them taking anyone to court for saving their patients money. It might be worth a carefully worded question if your GP seems in a good mood...........

Most (nice) doctors, if you can get a drug over the counter, will advise you that this is the cheaper way of doing things.

As has already been advised elsewhere, your doctor can prescribe you 2 of the same medication and you will only pay one prescription charge. My girlfriend (in days before she needed a prepayment certificate) would always get 2 inhalers at a time, or 2 lots of antihistamines.

fatbelly

It may be worth trying for help if you are on a low income just above income support level. Someone who wants to claim help with health costs on low income grounds should complete form HC1 - available from local social security offices, NHS hospitals, dentists, opticians etc. Once a claim has been assessed, the Health Benefits Division will send you either an HC2 full help certificate or an HC3 partial help certificate, depending on how ‘income’ compares with ‘requirements’. With an HC3 you may be able to get some help with the costs of:-
· dental treatment and check ups
· private sight tests
· vouchers for glasses or contact lenses
· wigs and fabric supports
· necessary travel costs to and from hospital for NHS treatment.
though not prescriptions.

nopace4me

Saving even more with prepaymeny certificates...
A 4 month prepayment is the cheapest and easiest to budget for.
The chemist are now refunding an overpayment, when you apply for a pre-pay certificate.
Order your repeat/usual prescriptions from your Docter..
when you collect your medicine from the chemist pay for it! and get a refund receipt!
The same day buy a prescription certificate for 4 months, and date it the day BEFORE you collected and paid for your meds.
The identity card free/prescrips usually arrives in the post in a week?
(you take the stamped receipt to chemist get your refund over the counter from 1st MAy 05)
Just before the certificate runs out *May June July Aug* say 24th Aug Order you new prescription.. make sure you collect it the day before the card runs out... the date you collect, is the credit period not when your docter writes it out!

You have got 5 months prescriptions for £33.40 well done
5 months prescprips for £33.40
10 months £66.80
15 months £100.20
If you buy a 12 month prepay you pay over..£100
Keep your money, never pay a penny more then you have to, the best money saving tip, is do not spend any money unless you absolutely have to?
Good Luck this site is a marvel thanks Marting and the Team..
Angieme2 2 long..

Ausweb wrote:

Ive always used a prepayment certificate (being an asthma sufferer ), however save money even further by buying a 4 month one (33.90) - ensuring I get my next months prescription before it runs out then not renewing it until I need new medication - 1 month later - This way I am only paying the equivalant of 2.5 certificates a year (£82) instead of £93 - In case you need medication during those 'not covered' months, just renew it earlier if required -


Steve

jframsey1

My pharmacists always wants to back date my prepaid certificate to when the previous one ran out, surely this is not correct?

Savvy_Sue

jframsey1 wrote:

My pharmacists always wants to back date my prepaid certificate to when the previous one ran out, surely this is not correct?

But surely you're not buying your prepaid cert from pharmacist, I thought you had to get it elsewhere?

rjrog77

I have my PPC. I have my NHS Receipt. How do I get my refund?

Ted_Hutchinson

From PPA
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Refund of Prescription Charges[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Remember to apply for a new PPC in good time, otherwise you will have to pay charges when your old PPC runs out. If you claim you have a valid PPC when you do not, you may have to pay a penalty charge.[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]If you have to pay a prescription charge while you are waiting for your PPC, you cannot get a refund unless you get an NHS receipt form (an FP57) and your new certificate covers the date you paid the charge. When you apply, you can ask for your PPC to be backdated up to one month.
[/font]They have an enquiry line via email Here and if you think you are covered by the above it may be worth writing to them and finding out how you acutally get your prescription fee refunded.

heather38

rjrog77 wrote:

I have my PPC. I have my NHS Receipt. How do I get my refund?

take it to a pharmacy, as of the first of april nhs refunds are now done at the chemist not the post office. it doesn't have to be the chemist that issued the reciept any chemist will do it

Savvy_Sue

heather38 wrote:

take it to a pharmacy, as of the first of april nhs refunds are now done at the chemist not the post office. it doesn't have to be the chemist that issued the reciept any chemist will do it

Now that's worth knowing! Chemist gave me a form to apply and an NHS receipt and said to go back there for it, didn't say "Any chemist can do this" but gave distinct impression it had to be the one issuing the script! Huh!