HRT cost

[Outbutnotoutout]

AIBU to think that medication which can eliviate symptoms of menopause are charged.

I have just been prescribed patches, they come as one patch, but because the have two ingredients in, I am charged two prescription charges. I also have some gel.

So two items for £28.05

I am so mad right now!!

Thank goodness northern ireland doesnt have prescription charges.

In Belfast Trust area the waiting time to see a gynaecologist was 128 weeks (pre-Covid). I’d rather have the prescription charges than our shitty waiting lists

For the VAST majority of people, what we pay in taxes amounts to a lot less than the cost of the NHS treatment you and your children. (Ditto state pensions - what people pay in is a pittance compared with what they draw out.)

Just because you work you shouldn't have to pay for prescriptions - eh???

BTW, the disparity with other UK regions won't last and is not sustainable. If Wales or Scotland got the 'independence' some people advocate, there's no way they could afford to maintain free prescriptions. Healthcare at the standard we expect is very expensive, and if anything, we all need to pay more taxes to fund it, if we want to keep it.

@RichTeaCheddars

The charge for NHS prescription is £9.35 per item. You were charged for 3 items, two different patches and a gel. Seems correct to me.

You can get a pre payment certificate which works out cheaper if you need on average one item or more a month. For 12 months it's £108.10.

It's ONE patch with two ingredients

So two charges.

Evorel sequi? Yup- me too. Didn’t know about the ppc and nor did the pharmacist enlighten me when I queried the cost last time, so thanks for that info

I have bought a year certificate now and will pick up the medication later.

I guess you all think we should be charged TAX for sanitary products as well.

If it's one physical patch, not a pack of two to make a combi treatment surely that's one item therefore 1 charge.

E.g. I have an asthma inhaler that is 2 active ingredients. It's 1 charge. These 2 drugs are available in separate inhalers. That would be 2 charges.

Have you queried it with pharmacist/different chemist/gp surgery?

So two items for £28.05

3 items. 3 x 9.35
2 in the patch and you mentioned a gel?

Tax on sanitary products is a totally different issue to being charged a nominal fee for expensive medications for healthcare that is free at the point of access!!!

@RichTeaCheddars

If it's one physical patch, not a pack of two to make a combi treatment surely that's one item therefore 1 charge.

E.g. I have an asthma inhaler that is 2 active ingredients. It's 1 charge. These 2 drugs are available in separate inhalers. That would be 2 charges.

Have you queried it with pharmacist/different chemist/gp surgery?

That was my thinking, but seems not

Anyway I have paid for my year certificate

Meanwhile everyone else in the UK get it free 🙄

@RichTeaCheddars

Tax on sanitary products is a totally different issue to being charged a nominal fee for expensive medications for healthcare that is free at the point of access!!!

Not really

For women we have
Sanitary products
Contraception
Pills to delay periods or reduce heavy ones
HRT

All of these are because we are a women, we are penalised every step of the way.

@LittleOwl153 that’s what I thought. If you are on Sequi (sequential) it’s 2 charges but if combined it’s 1 charge. That’s how I knew they had given me the wrong HRT when there were huge shortages and I had so many different types, but I had changed to the combination as had gone through menopause but Boots had wrongly given me a Sequi version as an alternative and charged me twice. So I knew it wasn’t a combined version.

Getting the certificate is the way to go. My progesterone is delivered via a Mirena IUCD which is free despite being for HRT purposes rather than contraception. The oestrogen gel is one prescription.

There are several ridiculous anomalies is prescribing charges: you don’t have to pay for any prescriptions if you need a thyroid replacement or insulin. If you have asthma or most other chronic conditions, bad luck. I would favour paying for all of those and then those individuals would buy a yearly certificate although most/ many qualify for free prescriptions anyway.

Anyway OP, get started on that HRT and I almost guarantee you’ll be feeling less angry very soon.

@Mummyratbag

Yes you pay twice (two hormones - the ones that only have one are single charge). As others have said get a prepaid prescription

www.gov.uk/get-a-ppc

£108.10 for the year. Covers ALL prescriptions you need.

Good idea.

Tablets are £1.30 here and otc. Why is it so secretive and difficult in the UK? Obviously I have good insurance for medical cover and prescription Ned's but to get advice, I just book in with a OBGYN no begging GP. I dread my retirement I really do.

The DD (direct debit) prepay certificate is an absolute bargain as you only pay the monthly fee for 10 months of the year.

I live in Scotland so get free prescriptions. When times were tight and the DC tiny this was a boon.

Now I buy what I need (paracetamol, ibuprofen, antihistamines) to try in my own, small, pathetic way, to save the NHS money.

I'd be happy to pay for my prescriptions, especially if I could get the DD prepay certificate.

Many years ago (when we still paid in Scotland) I took a 4-month prepay certificate out. I can't remember why. A couple of weeks after I took it out I was really ill and ended up getting about 10 prescriptions over a 12 week period. It saved me a fortune!

I have the coil for one hormone and the Oestrogel which I get every two months so it works out about £4.50 a month. I’d pay a lot more than that that though for the benefits of HRT, I wish I’d gone to the doctor earlier instead of suffering menopause symptoms.
OP one you start taking the hormones you’ll feel a lot more mellow and less angry about the charges.

I had a similar experience with HRT medication - came in a single blister pack with days (like contraceptive pill pack) but because it contained 2 different pills for different times of the month it was a double prescription charge!

@Outbutnotoutout

So I already pay into the NHS as I work full time, but I need to pay again?

Joke

You could see how much this would in the USA!

I'm afraid I think I you are being unreasonable too.

My husband had to pay for a regular prescription for prostate problems for years (he still has it but is now old enough to get them free). I imagine there are other conditions that only affect men.

@MatildaTheCat

Getting the certificate is the way to go. My progesterone is delivered via a Mirena IUCD which is free despite being for HRT purposes rather than contraception. The oestrogen gel is one prescription.

There are several ridiculous anomalies is prescribing charges: you don’t have to pay for any prescriptions if you need a thyroid replacement or insulin. If you have asthma or most other chronic conditions, bad luck. I would favour paying for all of those and then those individuals would buy a yearly certificate although most/ many qualify for free prescriptions anyway.

Anyway OP, get started on that HRT and I almost guarantee you’ll be feeling less angry very soon.

I don't care about the USA, I don't live there..

I've got this one

Meanwhile everyone else in the UK get it free

And we’ll be going without something else to pay for it.

Welcome to life with a chronic illness. I collect 8 medications a month so use a prescription pre-payment certificate and save myself hundreds of pounds. Get yourself a PPC and stop moaning.

Oow iv just started that. Yes two patches in box as there is estrogen and progesterone.