'You didn’t die as a child? Pay for your prescription' blog discussion

IcklePickle_2

Dorrie wrote: »

I never really understood why pregnant women got free prescriptions either.

I'm a bit cynical about this. Most medications aren't proven safe to use in pregnancy yet, so how much does it actually cost them?

Not that I'm ungrateful for it. It's good for things like heartburn meds, nausea meds, which are associated with pregnancy.. but still not comparable with the cost of providing an average non-pregnant person's prescriptions free.

GlasweJen

I have a heart condition, I have a pacemaker and take beta blockers and steroids; if i don't take these i will slip into a coma, I also need support socks as my blood pools in my legs and this is dangerous. As a result of the steroids I have kidney problems, i take 2 other steroids for this. I also have a liver conditon (genetic) which requires 1 tablet a day. Eczema caused by sensitivity caused by a tablet makes me need 2 creams, 1 soap replacement and 2 steroid creams. Pain as a result of complications with my pacemaker wound healing requires tramadol and i also use kelocote to try take down the inflammation.

As I get disability element of tax credits i am exempt from this but prior to managing to work 16 hours a week (in addition to uni by the way), I was expected to pay for all of the above every month out of my student bursary, I did apply for an HC2 but that was a palaver and a half..

marshallka

Just been put on some tabs myself and I have been on BP tabs (which are lifelong) since age 30. I have always had to pay for my prescriptions. I think that if you have a lifelong chronic condition then you should not have to pay for that prescription. I do have other scrips but not necessary to my life and would not mind paying for those but if you have to take tabs cause its a threat to your life then they should be under the EXEMPT.

I do buy the prepayment certificate cause I have at the moment got other things going on and just renewed again and I think the price has risen again.... since the last 3 months.

calleyw

marshallka wrote: »

I do buy the prepayment certificate cause I have at the moment got other things going on and just renewed again and I think the price has risen again.... since the last 3 months.

No as far as I am aware the price rises every April just in time for the new tax year.

If you get a yearly one you can pay by DD over 10 months. So helps to spread the cost.

Yours

Calley

KrazieByrd

A bit of astuteness could save you even more money on your prescription charges.
Request your following months prescription just before your certificate runs out and always ensure that you re-order your next prescription well before you need in to stay topped up and you end up with 4 months medication for the cost of 3.
The total cost is now £27.90 x 3, £83.70.
Off course you won't always be able to squeeze 4 requests into 3 months but even if you only do it twice a year it's still a big saving.

bumblebee23

I'm in shock! I never knew that if you have CF you had to pay for your prescriptions, I just (wrongly) assumed that if you have to take medication everyday for the rest of your life - to stay alive, that you would be provided this medication for free?!

I'm extremely thankful that I don't require any daily medication to keep me going, and in the last week I had to spend out £22.50 in one day to buy eye drops for my stubborn eye that decided to break, as this was not a cost I was expecting to spend this came as a nasty shock to my months budget, but luckily I know that this is a 'one off' and I really couldn't imagine having to fork this (and more) out every single month... My heart really goes out to people that have this condition and receive no help.

Any person having to take medication every single day to stay alive should be entitled to these meds for free - no ifs and buts and maybes. But like people have previously stated, it should only be for the medication for that particular illness. If you want paracetomol or aspirin then buy it yourself!

Who do I write to about this, I'm incensed now!?

Mozette

I take thyroxin and get that free, which is great, but I really don't see why I should then get anything else free - antibiotics for example, when anyone else would have to pay for them.
Seems crazy.

So do people really go and get asprin or whatever prescribed? That's just greedy.

danny69

I process prescriptions and the number of prescriptions for paracetamol is ridiculous. I think all prescriptions should be free, but drugs freely available over the counter shouldnt be prescribed. In Scotland they get prescriptions for free, so I think that seen as we all pay into the same pot we should all contribute equally. Just think, every taxpayer is paying for Scottish residents to get their prescriptions for free, yet we have to pay for ours! Either make everyobdy pay (including those on benefits), or give everyone their prescriptions for free but dont allow items that are available over the counter to be prescribed (imo its a waste of taxpayers money).

WolfSong2000

I am on thyroxine for an underactive thyroid (which it took the doctor's 5 years to diagnose and treat, but that's a whole other story)...when everything did eventually get sorted, my GP very helpfully told me I was eligible for free prescriptions for the thyroxine, which surprised me, as having an underactive thyroid isn't generally a life-threatening condition - irritating, yes, but you'd have to be very unlucky for it to be potentially fatal (speaking as someone who also had dangerously low levels when they were diagnosed).

I am amazed that long-term, life-threatening illnesses are exempt from free prescriptions. I will be on thyroxine for the rest of my life, so I am grateful that I don't have to pay (especially as I'm a student), but it just seems so stupidly unfair that those with serious problems do.

It's not just the healthcare system that's messed up, though...noticed it with the education system. People with serious disabilities are told the government can't help with costs toward expensive wheelchairs, etc, which these people need to get around, yet if you're diagnosed as dyslexic, etc, you get given a free laptop, printer, paper, ink, grants, etc, etc...most of the students who claim this could afford it themselves and it really annoys me.

mumps

Hypothyroidism can lead to heart failure if left untreated so is definitely life threatening. Obviously you would have to be very unlucky to have such severe hypothyroidism undiagnosed for long enough to cause heart failure, or coma or the other serious problems, but I assume this happens in the Third World.

The anomaly that surprises me is that contraception is free. Now I don't see fertility as an illness and I always thought a sexual relationship was optional so if you are fertile and decide to have a sexual relationship why should the pill or whatever be free?