AIBU - Should people 60+ be means tested & pay for prescriptions

[monopoly5]

Considering the NHS is so stretched as are lots of other public services should free prescriptions for the over 60s be means tested?

I agree that the NHS is mismanaged but there is still no money. The tax paying population is shrinking & wealth is increasingly held by the older generations.

Yes there is the argument that people have paid their taxes so are entitled but I don’t believe a 20 year old of today will have any state pension/NHS available to them.

In an ideal world the 1% would be taxed more but can’t see that happening. Don’t we all need to chip in?

I think ALL should be means tested for prescriptions but there should also be a cut off so that the sick and disabled aren't punished eg. if u had say more than 2-3 regular prescriptions then the rest would be free?? my nan was on 14 different medicines by the end and I can't imagine they would have been so well of if shed had to pay for them.
contraception should stay free but I'd get rid of the 12 months post birth thing and make it 2-3 months.
I would also like to see more chemists telling patients if they can get their prescription cheaper over the counter as on 1 occasion I needed something that was available over the counter for just over £2 but would have cost me over £7 if I'd used the prescription the gp had given me.
there's alot I would change but don't want to end up in a rant lol

crunchymint Prepayment certs can be backdated one month and paid items reclaimed, but you need to get an official receipt.

So unless you are confident that you will only need one or two items within 3 months, it is worth getting the receipt and then if it looks like you will need a 3rd or 4th item within a short time, apply for a backdated PPC (either a 3 month one for about £29, annual one for about £100, or set up a direct debit to pay £10 a month for one) and then reclaim the cost.

CP There are probably far fewer than 20 million people who earn more than £50k and claim CB and many of those will be completing a tax return anyway, due to very high income, self employment, or investment income etc.

Of course, they could make everyone in the country complete a tax return and it could be all joined up with the benefits system as well and it would automatically calculate taxes due, any benefit entitlement and entitlement to other things like free prescriptions, free school meals, free dental treatment etc, but that's a real pie in the sky idea.

Are you arguing that no-one should take out more than they pay in?

No, I'm arguing that you shouldn't have a whole generation on average taking out more than they pay in thus just creating a debt burden for future generations.

Yes if everyone had to complete a tax return I doubt if HMRC would cope.

@small

So you want to base the taxation system on age rather than ability to pay?

No, I want state benefits to be based on need not age.

As a separate point I'd like income tax and national insurance combined.

Why just oaps?

How about pregnant women and for children.

Every pregnant woman and child in this country gets free prescriptions. Many many affluent families who simply can afford to pay.

Let's include them in the means testing and free up nhs cash.

my nan was on 14 different medicines by the end and I can't imagine they would have been so well of if shed had to pay for them.

A prescription prepayment certificate is £104 per year. You can pay for it via direct debit over 10 months and pay £10.40 a year.

There is still no excuse for wealthier people . You can afford £10.40 a month for unlimited prescriptions.

£10.40 a month not a year sorry.

Children and pregnant women should get free prescriptions. We should make sure we protect our most vulnerable. The same applies to oaps although perhaps the age needs raising from 60.

Also remove the chronic conditions exemption.

A multi millionaire with diabetes would get free prescriptions because all diabetics get free prescriptions.

The needing lots of prescriptions also doesn't wash because of the prepayment certificate which is £104 a year for unlimited.

Children and pregnant women should get free prescriptions. We should make sure we protect our most vulnerable

Not all pregnant women and children are vulnerable and need protecting.

When I was in my teens and early 20s I baby sat for a very very wealthy family.

They didnt need free prescriptions. None of them did and they were not vulnerable.

They were also in the era where they could and did claim child benefit. For 4 children for 18 years each child. They owned multiple properties here and abroad, most expensive private schools, etc.

You're not going to tell me they would be adversely affected by having to pay £104 each per year for a prepayment card.

All children are vulnerable because they are dependent on others for their wellbeing.

@new year

They will have paid far more into the system through income tax than they took out in free prescriptions and CB.

Income tax is the solution to all of this - and this is recognised by all UK political parties.

True they paid more tax.

But then why talk of cutting it for over 60s who may have far less than a very wealthy younger family?

I wouldn't have a problem with making prescriptions free for everyone and just paid for out of general taxation, which is weighted onto higher earners.

Saves expensive means testing and checking that people claiming free prescriptions are entitled to them - you know that box you tick on the back - they will check that a certain percentage are actually claiming the relevant benefit etc.

But there does have to be efforts made to reduce waste, ie people collecting medicines they don't need because it's free - this may increase the burdens on doctors, who shouldn't be overprescribing anyway, but there are always lots of 'medicines hoarding' stories.

Also wouldn't want people to be taking up doctors appointments to get a prescription for cheap over the counter medicines so they could get them free instead of having to pay a trivial (to most) sum.

Also wouldn't want people to be taking up doctors appointments to get a prescription for cheap over the counter medicines so they could get them free instead of having to pay a trivial (to most) sum.

My friend lives in Scotland and she said that is what people do there.

It may lead to free prescriptions being withdrawn because it is being abused.

@New Year

I am not arguing in favour of cutting it for the over 60s. Quite the opposite. I am arguing that wealthy over 60s continue to pay income tax according to their means - and thus continue to pay more into the system regardless of age. This is the cheapest way for the government to collect money.

At the moment anyone who pays for their prescriptions can get a preprayment certificate. It works out cheaper than the standard amount if you are on regular medication. You can pay by direct debit at £10.40 per month for 10 months (but it covers you for 12 months). This means anyone with a long term condition on a lot of medication would pay no more than this per month no matter how much medication they received. This is a good scheme and good management of long term conditions saves money in the long run. I have a severe long term condition that isn’t on the exemption list and tbh given the small cost of the certificate I think there should only be exemptions on a financial basis and not whether you have a specific illness. Why should a diabetic get free prescriptions when the maximum they would have to pay is £10.40 a month? I think children’s prescriptions should stay free and everyone else should have to apply for free prescriptions through means testing if they think they can’t afford it.

Yes to means testing. It pains me to say it but the NHS is very overstretched. There is also the prepayment card for about £100pa which could help. They should also not prescribe things such as co-codomol that you can buy so cheaply in the supermarket. Save the prescriptions for things that you can’t buy and are very expensive.

They should also not prescribe things such as co-codomol that you can buy so cheaply in the supermarket

Are people so idiotic that they will pay a prescription charge rather than buy it themselves?? If my gp prescribed cocodamol, and it was the same strength as Boots own, then surely the pharmacist should tell you if you haven't worked it out for yourself!

It's not paying the prescription charge, it's getting the item free instead of paying a pound or two (obviously the very poor could still struggle to pay this, so there needs to be protection for people in this position).

So someone entitled to free prescriptions are asking for a prescription for calpol for child or other simple painkillers or over the counter creams when they could just buy them in the supermarket/pharmacy for far less than the prescription charge. Cheeky fuckers basically, in most cases when they can easily afford it themselves.

So as well as the NHS paying for the medicine, they are also paying for the GP appointment and administration of dealing with the prescription - NHS will pay the pharmacy for dispensing the medicine.

Well if they are entitled to free prescriptions then they shouldn't have to pay even a pound, so I don't agree with you there

Many people are entitled to free prescriptions including children, pensioners and people with chronic conditions. They are not all poor, some will be very wealthy.

Are you really saying that they should take up a doctor's appointment and the administration involved in dispensing and claiming from the NHS for a prescription for over the counter medicines that they could just buy from the supermarket or a pharmacy for a couple of quid or less?

Well I and many others don't think that is a sensible use of NHS resources and taxpayers money.

I think those who get free prescriptions should continue to do so. The NHS is badly organised with massive wastage. Giving kids free calpol isn't even going to touch the sides