To think the NHS medical exemption is not very fair?

[user87382294757]

DH has crohns disease. Needs regular prescriptions and bloods, has an IBD nurse etc.

Advised some conditions can exempt you from prescription charges and checked the list. It says-

You can get all your NHS prescriptions free if you have a valid medical exemption certificate because you have:
• a permanent fistula (for example, caecostomy, colostomy, laryngos-tomy 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; or
• cancer and are undergoing treatment for:
– cancer;
– the effects of cancer; or,
– the effects of cancer treatment.

Why these conditions and not others? It seems unfair that someone with diabetes type 2 (which is often self induced through diet and lack of exercise) can get these for free and others with other chronic illnesses cannot?

I'm cross that it seems a selective few illness have been given more priority than others for this. AIBU?

"Around nine out of 10 people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes and

..... there is strong evidence that its onset can be prevented or delayed in those at high risk, through improved quality of diet, through increase in physical activity, and through successful weight loss."

Seems pretty factual to me. What of it do you not understand?

I understand better than you apparently. Can is the operative word here. Please note it doesn’t say will.

There are genetic and lifestyle risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/type-2-diabetes/type-2-diabetes-causes

Diabetes UK informs me around 85% of type 2 cases are preventable and around 15% more unusual...anyway leaving this now. There is lots of help for people though as NHS trying to support people to lose weight etc.

There is lots of help for people though as NHS trying to support people to lose weight etc.

Haha! If only.

And either way it’s not as simple as just go to the doctor and hey presto you can lose weight!

OP do you agree with pregnant women getting free prescriptions?

I get free prescriptions due to epilepsy. At one point I tried to pay for my epilepsy prescription and the pharmacy would not accept it. I also tried to pay on a single unrelated item and I go to same pharmacy so again they wouldn’t accept.

I also have depression and after a similar thread on here I got guilty. I asked the GP why they didn’t just give epilepsy medication under the exemption. He said the admin would cost more than any extra paid. He also pointed out that a couple of my medicines can be used to treat both epilepsy and depression- should I get them free if prescribed by neurology or pay if psychiatry?
He said to go away and not feel guilty that asthmatics pay, I didn’t take the decision.

So what about blanket free prescriptions for ALL over 60s?! Ridiculous imo

I have an auto immune disease. Without medication I’d die very quickly. Not only do I have to pay for my immunosuppressant prescriptions, I also pay for all the prescriptions I need for medication to treat the constant infections and illnesses I get due to my suppressed immune system.

My sister lives in Wales and gets her prescriptions free of charge. How is this fair?

Prescriptions are usually heavily subsidised. I am very grateful. The idea that the NHS should provide free everything all the time is nonsense.

my daughter has cystic fibrosis. she takes a bucketload of drugs daily and will for the rest of her life
no exemption. CF trust pay for their patients first year for them.
fortunately she has now developed CF related diabetes, so she gets them free
(fortunately was what she said)

Oh, and CF wasnt on the list because when they made the list they didnt reckon any of them would make it to adulthood and need to pay.
But thanks to NHS and new treatments, she is likely to hit late 40s

Prescriptions are usually heavily subsidised. I am very grateful. The idea that the NHS should provide free everything all the time is nonsense.

Some prescriptions are subsidised but arguably the majority are not heavily subsidised. Many prescriptions are actually quite a bit cheaper to the NHS than the prescription fee.

Oh ffs stop moaning.
I am severely disabled
I choose to work a low paid job
I pay £10.20 per month pre payment certificate for the 10medications I need per month - bloody bargain.
Thank god for the NHS.

I agree that free prescriptions should kick in at pension age rather than 60. But, while the current generation of female pensioners are all starting at different ages, it would be an administrative nightmare. And means testing costs more than it saves. Just axe charges altogether. Job done.

YANBU but I have hypothyroidism that didnt meet the NHS diagnostic criteria so therefore I'm not hypothyroid. So I buy my medication off the internet black market and get on with it (and out of the surgery too as I'm now better)

@NoBaggyPants the PPC is £10.40 a month. At least mine is

Of the various medications I take, 2 inhalers and one lot of tablets are more than a prescription charge. However, a salbutamol inhaler is £1.50, steroid tablets are 98p per pack of 30 and the daily antihistamine I take is £6.40

So yes, some medications are subsidised (the last inhaler I was on cost £52 each) but many are not.

All the medical exemptions are not fair in my opinion when they do not relate to the exempt condition.

I don’t see how getting tonsillitis has anything to do with diabetes.

I agree OP!
I get free prescriptions just because I take Levothyroxine, - that’s all prescriptions. I can understand why I might get Levothyroxine for free as I’ll need it for the rest of my life, but in my case, it’s not associated with continuing illness or requiring other medications.

I just wanted address this comment from p2 from ComeAndDance :

Maybe that was the case years ago when poverty in retirement was more widespread?

I think you live a very sheltered life if you think the elderly have been massively pulled out of poverty! The problem is that they are out of sight, out of mind but my god, the poverty levels that a huge number of pensioners deal with are excruitiating. And it's made worse because many won't seek help as they don't think they're entitled or deserving and the forms are utterly ridiculous. Our local Age Concern has several full time volunteer posts whose only job is to help their clients with forms.

If you think the elderly don't deserve free prescriptions because you're lucky enough to only know those who have decent pensions and are able to look after themselves then you're naive at best! Its 2019 and certainly in my city, there are still old people huddled over candles for heat and struggling with massive malnutrition.

Gah - That post has infuriated me...

Oh ffs stop moaning.
I am severely disabled
I choose to work a low paid job
I pay £10.20 per month pre payment certificate for the 10medications I need per month - bloody bargain.
Thank god for the NHS.

But, with respect, that's not the point that the OP was trying to discuss.

Yes, the NHS is an amazing privilege to have in the UK and the PPC does work out much cheaper for many people with a lot of health needs but who don't get free prescriptions. In fact, even twice the price for all your medications would still work out at a much better deal than having to pay full price.

Therefore, why don't we say that men can have a PPC for £10.20 a month and women pay £20.40. Both still get an amazing bargain, so I don't see how anybody would have cause to moan about it.

And THAT'S the point that people are making.

There is a difference between "the elderly" and people who hit 60, that's way too young for blanket benefits imo

I agree with you regarding the unfairness YANBU. However my DH has Type 2 Diabetes, not caused by being overweight but because of an autoimmune disease that he has, so please take your judgy arse crap regarding T2D somewhere else.