To not understand why some life saving medications are free and others aren't

[BumpowderSneezeonAndSnot]

Why on earth are inhalers and asthma medications not yet free on prescription but type 2 diabetics (lifestyle induced) get all of their medications for free?

This has been slowly getting to me as the years have gone on and I have a teen with asthma who, no matter how well controlled it is in the year, always ends up on steroids multiple times in the winter. I know they don't have to pay now but this is likely to be an issue as an adult for them and they will then have to pay, why? Why can type 2 diabetics not just get their diabetes medications free but ALL their medications but asthmatics can't even get essential life saving medications free?

AIBU to feel the rage on this?

My prescription medications would cost me over £1k a year in prescription costs if I didn't have a pre-pay certificate. It's an absolute bargain at £10.40 a month.

I don't know why some life saving medications are free and others aren't but seriously, anyone needing a regular prescription definitely needs to be paying monthly pre pay.

YANBU. While we're at it, cystic fibrosis medications.

just looked up the cost of my weekly methotrexate injection and to buy it would cost on average £70!

£70 a WEEK that is. Thank god for prepay!

Sorry OP, I see you mentioned CF.

@throwawayagain
Where do you get your T3?

My child also has Cystic Fibrosis, he's on medication that costs the nhs hundreds of thousands per year all together. I don't see him making it past his 20th birthday (currently 13) but I will happily pay for a certificate for as long as he needs one, the nhs has literally kept him alive for 13 years so it's no bother on me.

I’m in Scotland so don’t pay but happily pay for a pre payment certificate every year - I have had far more from the NHS than I will ever pay in.

Titsalina. It's tough, isn't it? All we can do is keep them as healthy as possible. DS1's 27, and every day with him is a blessing.

*im asthmatic - it annoyed me when I was a student that I had to pay as I could barely afford it when other conditions were covered. But honestly, if you add up what you get in return you’ll be saving money based on actual cost. Unless you’re getting paracetamol on script which is just stupid.

just read your post titsalina

Sorry NRFT but just wanted to add here that you do not have to pay for prescriptions or dental treatment if you are in receipt of tax credits. HMRC are supposed to automatically let the NHS know who then send you an exemption card, but it doesn’t always happen so sometimes you need to call HMRC to let them know you haven’t received it.

Hope that helps some people

The tax credit exemption only applies if your income is less than £15276. Not everyone on tax credits qualifies.

brazzle - I too am in Scotland.... but one of my 8 daily medications (following an injury) is £700 a month. Given I struggle to manage to continue to work with a spinal cord injury, I’m not sure how I would afford that. I’m so grateful I don’t have to chose between mortgage and drugs.

One of the problems of our current system is that people do not appreciate the value of items supplied on prescription.

A friend of mine recently helped her parents move house and discovered a huge hoard of medication and appliances, over 3 years of one item. Her elderly parents said that it just arrived every month and they just assumed they should accept it and put it in the cupboard without question, the pharmacy insisted they supplied what the GP prescribed and the surgery said they just issued what the pharmacy ordered every month.

Pharmacies have a legal duty to check with the patient every month if a prescription is needed but many don't and the resulting waste is astounding

BBC article 7 types of diabetes recently

I actually get annoyed when people who have medical exemption cards say that's its stupid that they get ALL medication free and not just the medication their medex card is for free, well no you don't have to get ALL your medication free, the answer is simple if you really think you should be paying then PAY, don't submit your medex card, don't tick the exemption box, don't sign the declaration, get your purse out.

When I had a medex card for my underactive thyroid I got a chest infection, was prescribed anti biotics, an inhaler and steroids, I could have got claimed on my medex card and got the lot for free, but I didn't I paid for the lot myself, because A I didn't think my chest infection was anything to do with my other medical condition and B I could afford to pay so why should I get it free.

However I got another chest infection a year later was prescribed the same medication and again went to pay, only this time I couldn't , as I was then over 60, I hadn't really bothered about this as I wasn't getting anything extra with my thyroid meds, still got them free but claimed for another reason. When I went to pay that time I was told that because my age and DOB are printed on the front of the prescription I m automatically exempt I don't have to provide extra proof, tick the box and sign the declaration.

I would be more than happy to pay all my prescription costs other than my thyroid meds

IvorHughJars round here everyone is being encouraged to let the pharmacy sort the prescriptions, the pharmacy just automatically gets the whole lot. So it's not really people not appreciating the value, it's an inflexible system where it's difficult to get a repeat of your regular drug without having also to receive an un-needed supply of your just-in-case drug.

Interestingly, I texted DS1 about this, he has CF and CF-related diabetes, which is similar to T1, he says he has medical exemption. He went straight from exemption for underage to medical exemption. I assumed he only got his insulin free.

I was somewhat surprised to realise that cancer patients had to pay prescription charges until as recently as 2009.

The problem is saying one month only to everyone. DH had been on the same dose for Addison's for over a decade, used to get three months at a time (reasonable) now can only get one months suuply - which is a pain in the arse given that sometimes he has to take a double dose and then his repeat prescription request is refused as he's ordered it too early and he has to sort that out.

Changing the prescription to every 3 months won't solve the problem. It will just make it happen less frequently. If he has to take more than one dose on some days then arguably he isn't getting a 28 day supply each time. There is nothing to stop them increasing the number of tablets for each 28 days or putting a note on his file to alert them that he may need to request tablets more frequently.

Agree, I have 2 types of inhaler so 2 x the cost. My asthma is triggered by things out of my control (weather, difference in temp etc) and I do wish that they were funded on the NHS.

Those of you who have a medical exemption but 'don't agree with' getting your prescriptions free, or feel you ought to pay for things like antibiotics for an ingrowing toenail- if you feel that strongly you could pay for your prescriptions!

Just don't mention your exemption when you pick up your meds. Or pay for a prepayment card. They won't check up and chase after you trying to refund you, when you apply for a ppc you're encouraged to check for yourself if you are entitled to free prescriptions.

MereDint Many CCGs are now instructing GPs not to accept any orders from pharmacies because of the waste and suspected fraud that has built up since this started. My mother had a letter recently telling her that this was no longer allowed and patients must make their own ordering arrangements

@ivykaty44 because they religiously stick to the only providing one month at a time thing. It's annoying and pointless!