What happens if you can't afford your medication?

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I can btw, this is not a begging thread, but I'm taking the money from my savings, and I don't always have money in my savings, which has got me pondering.

If I didn't have savings and my asthma medication ran out, is there a scheme where I can buy now, pay later, or is it a case of risking death or needing A&E?

Are there any other life-saving medications you have to pay for, or is it just asthma? I know my mum gets free prescriptions because she needs thyroid medication, but that doesn't seem as serious or life-threatening as asthma to me.

What's the criteria for a medication being free, and why doesn't it seem to make sense?

I'm fortunate to be in a better position now but there were times when my blood pressure meds just had to wait until payday. I have enough illnesses now to make the pre payment worth it but when we were starting out we were on the bones of our arse.

My DS has had asthma since a young child. I did get him a prepayment card once we had to pay as he also has eczema so it did work out cheaper. We asked for a long time to get prescriptions for 2 inhalers at a time, but they’ve recently tried him on new medication, the first didn’t work, so he tried another. I do think for new medication that may or may not work, these should be cheaper.

I am though, forever grateful for asthma medication, when my Brother was a child in the 1960’s there was NO inhalers and he spent a lot of time in hospital, they put him on the first trials for spincap inhalers and these literally changed his life.

Not sure if someone has posted this already but might be worth a look

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/nhs-low-income-scheme-lis/

Private prescriptions are eye watering compared to what we are used to. Last year I had to get one and I had to pay £50 for the prescription and then £70 for the actual medication. Thankfully it was a one off and I have not had to do it again.

"Yes" is the answer. Same as the many people who need psychiatric drugs or for heart conditions. It doesn't make any sense now but perhaps it did when the rules were first set up, I don't know. There have been campaigns and lots of individual grumbling about the asthma inhalers not being free as they're life saving.

The certificate is £114.50. With one prescription a month you're paying £114. If you need anything else throughout the year it would, in effect, be free as the cost would be covered by the certificate. and you can pay monthly in 10 instalments of £11.45 by Direct Debit, or pay the full amount upfront online, at a pharmacy, or by card. Takes away the worry of going to the docs in case they give you a prescitption

Believe it or not inhalers are something that are misused by many people so often prescribers aren't keen on prescribing more than is therapeutic over that period of time.

There's also a risk of people stock piling which is problematic if there is ever a supply issue not to mention medication expiring and leading to huge waste and/or ineffective treatment of expired medication.

I didn't get on with the spinhalers in 1970 but the Ventolin inhalers were fantastic.

I was so relieved to get to 60 and not have to pay any more. One of the few benefits of being old.

I’m with you, but unfortunately Reform voters don’t care because “Immigrants and scroungers” innit?

It seems wrong, and potentially very costly to the NHS in the longrun if people are missing their medication due to costs.

Try not to think of it at an individual level but a population level where policies are set - it is not great thinking of yourself just as part of a population level calculation but that is the reality of it. Many people can probably budget (some easier than others) for their prescriptions so are not missing medications.

Many of those who cannot afford their prescriptions are on benefits and their prescriptions are covered, which leaves a smaller number who potentially could struggle.

The cost/benefit at a population level does not land in favour of free prescriptions. Which leaves assessment of individual circumstances which is too expensive to implement.

I pay for the monthly prescription. I get my inhalers, my psoriasis lotions, any antibiotics or painkillers that I need. 10 monthly instalments of £11.45. The pharmacy instantly knows I’ve paid for them as it’s in the system.

I didn't suggest that's what someone else should do, I said that's what I would do.

I can't understand why if you're diabetic medication is free, yet for asthmatics it isn't. Seeing as diabetes is often caused by bad diet, yet asthma is an autoimmune condition.

"Are there any other life saving medications you need to pay for?"

Are you really so self-absorbed? Of course there are. You have to pay for epi pens, which is even worse because the vast majority of the time you don't even use them.. but you always have to have an in-date one.

I also have to pay for my anti-depressants which may not be directly life saving, but I'm not sure I'd be here without them.

If you can't afford £9.50 a month, there is something very, very wrong in your life.

I have a couple of apps on my phone where I do surveys, and I get more than £9.50 a month, so if you really can't find that amount of money, you do need to reassess things.

My GP kindly gives me two months worth in a go so that's helpful for me but will depend on what it is as others have said. it does seem very complicated who has to pay and who doesn't, I've frequently been the only one paying for my prescription at the chemist amongst several others each time which I don't particularly mind but makes me feel a bit like I've missed a trick.

• a permanent fistula (for example, caecostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy or ileostomy) which needs continuous surgical dressing or an appliance
• a form of hypoadrenalism (for example, Addison’s Disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential
• diabetes insipidus and other forms of hypopituitarism
• diabetes mellitus, except where treatment is by diet alone
• hypoparathyroidism
• myasthenia gravis
• myxoedema (that is, hypothyroidism which needs thyroid hormone replacement)
• epilepsy which needs continuous anticonvulsive therapy
• a continuing physical disability which means you cannot go out without the help of another person
• cancer and are undergoing treatment for either:

cancer
the effects of cancer
the effects of cancer treatment

it is only these conditions that qualify for a medical exemption certificate. It could probably do with an overhaul.

Are you entitled to a medical exemption certificate? I am on long-term pain relief medication and the cost was getting a bit much so I applied for one and now I don't pay for my prescriptions. I am not sure of the criteria but I assume for a long-term health condition that you need regular prescribed medicine for would apply to you. You can just ask for a form in your surgery, you're GP will sign it off if he thinks you should hsve it and it will be sent in the post.

What is the ‘use by’ like on the inhalers, could you get the 3 month prepayment but order 6 (or more) in that time frame which would last you 6 months

If someone really can't afford £9.50 for something so essential isn't it likely they'd be on benefits and therefore get it for free?

I’m on 8 different medications a month (including Mounjaro) so being able to have a pre-paid certificate is an absolute lifesaver!
I can’t wait for my 60th birthday in March though when they will all be FREEEEEEEE!! 😃

No, I don't think so.

I'm in the category where I earn just too much for UC but not quite enough to manage. Usually, month to month, we're OK. Choices have to be made sometimes; someone (usually me) might have to wander about with a hole in their only pair of shoes until payday, but we can afford the essentials with a tenner or so left for savings. Some months, no one needs shoes, and I might be able to put £30 or £40 in savings. And some months, something breaks, and the savings are gone.

Something like the weather turning and needing to put 2x as much on the gas meter than we usually do can tip us from just about managing to not at all managing very easily.

£9.90, per prescription. Docs used to put 2 on a prescription but not for the last few years. It’s prescription only so not like you can just buy it from a shop. You can probably find shops selling them online but you still can’t actually buy them unless you have a private prescription.

OP I feel your pain. I have 6 items a month plus some others intermittently through the year. DH has a preventer as well as reliever. We both get the pre payment certificate. There’s usually something else crops up in the year so it’s worth it for us. Just over a tenner a month I think. (Checked, it’s £114.50 for the year, we pay in 10 installments over the year, 11.45 each per month)

Not always. There's also a 5 week wait for the first benefit payment