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?

there are many slim, fit type 2 diabetics who inherited the disease -

Well that's what genetic testing is for. To make sure they pay higher premiums ... and you thought it was to help treat the disease ....

There are often campaigns to change these exemptions. It feels ridiculous that some people who would die without medication have to pay while others do not eg asthma v diabetes. Both can kill. OTOH I think it's crazy that having cancer exempt you from all prescription fees for 5 years for all conditions. So great I didn't have to pay for my antisickness drugs while having chemo but what's the idea behind me also getting antihistamines free for my hay fever ( not caused by cancer)? It just seems crazy

I think the logic behind making all drugs exempt even if not related to the main condition, is that they don't want someone panicking because they've been prescribed several medicines in one go and not going to fill the prescription because they can't afford to pay for the other ones.

Also as a thyroid patient there are other issues that can be caused by my condition that require other prescriptions that aren't the core drug of thyroxine. Low vitamin D and calcium are an issue for post-thyroidectomy patients so I had high doses of that prescribed. However I can afford to buy them myself so I did after awhile (also the prescribed one had a disgusting taste - ha). But if there was another person who had money troubles they might not want to pay for the extra supplements if they weren't also exempted.

No I get that @CitadelsofScience. What I don't get is why it's exempt when it costs so little. If anything it should just be means testsed.

What I don't get is why it's exempt when it costs so little. If anything it should just be means testsed.

There is nothing to "get"apart from the fact that the list was drawn up in the 50s or 60s and hasn't changed due to cost/political reasons (the uproar if conditions were no longer exempt). Trying to see logic beyond that is a waste of time.

It's a very unfair system dd is a student and is deemed wealthy enough to pay for the mental health drugs that she needs to keep her sane, but when the nhs prescription charge was brought in they didn't exist and the list has never been updated

edgeofheaven I totally get that but GP could deal with that by ticking a box on prescription ( do all the items on this prescription relate to the exempt condition?). I didn't use my exemption when I had cancer. It seemed wrong to get all my meds free for 5 years. But for other people who have life long life threatening conditions, all meds should be free RELATING To that condition. My son sometimes puts off getting his inhalers because he can't afford to get prescription until pay day. He doesn't have enough free cash to prepay ( we sued to buy it and get him to pay us back but are trying to make him be more responsible!). If he has an asthma attack and has no ventolin he could die. We are in a rural area with long ambulance times. We know someone whose son died of an asthma attack. The NHS needs to increase the number of exempt conditions to reflect what we know today

Please don’t complain that your son’s life is in danger when you could keep him safe but don’t because you’re trying to teach him a lesson. He could easily pay his £10.20 on pay day and wouldn’t be in this position.

Your DH's drug Humira by the way is the most expensive drug for the NHS given cost and rate of usage. It's been running at more than 400 million a year. Perhaps knowing this will help you to feel better paying £10 a month for a PPC?

I mentioned this earlier , Humira isn't even given by normal prescription it is provided completely free by the hospital so complaining about £10 a month to cover other meds seems really petty imo when it costs £20k a year

I mentioned this earlier , Humira isn't even given by normal prescription it is provided completely free by the hospital so complaining about £10 a month to cover other meds seems really petty imo when it costs £20k a year

I agree. I also get a very expensive drug for free and there is no way I would complain about the fact that I have to pay for other drugs. It seems really petty to resent the fact that some people save about £100 a year on medicines.

"Please don’t complain that your son’s life is in danger when you could keep him safe but don’t because you’re trying to teach him a lesson. He could easily pay his £10.20 on pay day and wouldn’t be in this position."
What? His medical condition is potentially life threatening and it is a condition that he has through no fault of his own. He is an adult. He works full time, he shouldn't be needing parents to pay for ANYTHING. My point is that prescriptions for all life threatening/ life limiting conditions should be free ( if any are). I shouldn't be helping him out any more ( we paid the prepay when he was a student but not since he's been earning). And how do you know what my income is? I have Cares Allowance and that's all. I can't work because I am a 24/7 carer for my DD who has a serious illness rendering her totally dependent upon me for every single thing (who gets free prescriptions). I get free prescriptions because I'm 60+ ( another stupidity in my opinion, should be means tested)

I have just been diagnosed type 2 iv no other medical conditions fit and eat healthy so my opinion is not self inflicted and my own as mum dad and sister are type 2 it's in the family so please do not judge ur opinion as been correct for every one as it's very manipulating very unfair

We all get free prescriptions in Scotland. Tackle your MP.

As someone who is medically exempt due to having one of the conditions in the list, I still agree with you.

I agree. Presumably, it made sense when free prescriptions were first introduced.

@Sooverthemill, you appear to have misread my post. I said your son could prepay each pay day.

Means testing frequently costs more than it saves.

I think it would be good if there were some way to automatically link age-related exemption to the first payment of state pension. Joined up IT that put a digital marker on a patient's NHS record (accessible by pharmacies) that they were now exempt from all prescription charges when their first state pension payment was made.

I know it's a pipedream and would cost eleventy billion pounds to implement so will never happen, but that would be my solution if we had better technology in situ in the first place.

alsohuman I agree about means testing I would prefer that it didn't exist for anything. If we need to gatekeep the NHS like this then we need to find better ways of ensuring that those most in need ( medically) get access without making poor people poorer

thetit I'm 61 and my state pension has been stolen from me by the Givernment until I reach 66. I've already paid in more ears than need be to get full pension but the rules mean I can't get it. I could just about afford the odd prescription I need ( although have recently been diagnosed with asthma) but many other 60-65 year old women wouldn't be able to

@Sooverthemill me too. But prescriptions are free if you're over 60!

I completely agree. If the rest of the UK can scrap prescription charges, England should be able to as well. Just get rid of them and save the money the fraud investigation team costs.

Would an online petition possibly help ( the one which raises it with parliament)? It seems very unfair to me.

Would an online petition possibly help

Have they ever ?

Totally agree with you OP. Me and my children have a genetic metabolic disease and I have to pay for all my prescriptions - I don’t understand why T2 diabetics get their prescriptions for free either. Unfortunately in this country we seem to fund everything for those who take no responsibility for their health - obesity, alcoholism, drug abuse - all self inflicted yet they get benefits for being too fat or high to work?! I’m at massive risk of stroke or heart attack if I don’t take my medication - nothing self inflicted - this country is f**ked up!

seems weird to me that ex gets all his prescriptions free rather than just the ones for the exempt prescription.

dd will have to pay for her asthma meds when she is older. and her epipens, without them she could die.