Prescription charges for over 60s

[herewegogc]

Just found out that there is a government consultation going on about this. The aim is to raise the age for free prescriptions to the state pension age. Ends on 1st September. AIBU to be unhappy that this is being done by stealth? Or have I missed the massive publicity campaign? Fill in the consultation here: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/aligning-the-upper-age-for-nhs-prescription-charge-exemptions-with-the-state-pension-age

Anyone on a low income or with certain medical conditions can receive free prescriptions regardless of age. Why should an older wealthy person receive free prescriptions just because of their age?!

As long as I can afford it I am happy to pay for a yearly certificate. However, lots of people will not be able to afford even this.

Deceased husband who worked to the bone every day of his life and built the house also.
Deceased husbands pension now getting paid to her. Not massive by any means, but still another income source as well as government pension.
When I say never, ever worked I mean that!
Not sure how also gets pension credit, but she does!
So has in total £277 income every single week, bills come to £150 pcm (water, elec, phone, ins), £50 food per week. So tell
Me why she couldn’t pay for her own medication that believe me when I say is a load of made up tosh!!!
Why should us tax paying citizens pay for people like her!!! Who can more than pay for herself!

OP specifically asked is they were being unreasonable that this is being done by stealth - yanbu the public have a right to know about this, and need time to write to their MPs and to campaign against it.

Watch out for the new health and social care bill as well.

So it's drop in the ocean stuff - as it will be unchanged for most over 60s, there will just be a subset of those aged 60 - 65/6/7 added

@Bagelsandbrie

Anyone on a low income or with certain medical conditions can receive free prescriptions regardless of age. Why should an older wealthy person receive free prescriptions just because of their age?!

exactly - including most under 18s and those on means tested benefits. The age for free prescriptions should be linked to the state pension age - I am surprised it has not tracked it over the last few years anyway.

I will also had has type 2 diabetes caused by their own selfish eating and lifestyle habits who wishes to not and never done anything about it, continues to buy chocolate, cake and sweets every week and love the doctor visits to say why they aren’t feeling great.
Must mean they need more
Medication and attention!
I am being wholly serious here.
Makes me so, so cross and angry.
So yes those who can afford, should pay their own way! And don’t get me started on not being able to see a doctor for my own children because of people
Like her too.

@Binnaggy where is transport free for over 60s ?

Missy yes, I don't like the way it is being (not) promoted. I also don't like the options on the consultation form - it is being presented that charges are a forgone conclusion.

"It is not unfair that the other home nations have more progressive governments, that is simply the choice of the English electorate. England = Tories, sadly for us."

The application of the Barnett formula gives higher public spending per person in the other home nations. The English never seem to get any choice in whether they wish to pay for that.

@itsasin77

I will also had has type 2 diabetes caused by their own selfish eating and lifestyle habits who wishes to not and never done anything about it, continues to buy chocolate, cake and sweets every week and love the doctor visits to say why they aren’t feeling great. Must mean they need more Medication and attention! I am being wholly serious here. Makes me so, so cross and angry. So yes those who can afford, should pay their own way! And don’t get me started on not being able to see a doctor for my own children because of people Like her too.

You are being pretty horrid about this person.

Many health conditions are caused by and worsened by unwise choices.

That person is not the reason you can't see a doctor. I can see you are angry but you are coming across badly by blaming someone who presumably has both physical and mental health conditions personally.

I'd like to see the figures. What does it cost for free prescriptions for say 60-67 year olds and how much would it cost to administer charges.

A lot of older people have a number of medical issues and are often on lower incomes so could a) buy the prepayment certificate or b) apply for an HC 2.

To get an HC 2 you have to fill in a form and post it, someone at the other end opens the form, goes through whatever the admin process is, issues the certificate and posts it out.

@Binnaggy

This is perfectly sensible. People over 60 get so many financial advantages for no good reason. When was the last time you met a 60 year old who wasn’t better off that a 20 year old? I would also scrap free public transport for over 60s.

OK FUCK OFF NOW, this is a post about free prescriptions for people 60 and below pension age NOT I repeat NOT a post about pension age benefits, you want to whine about what pensioners get??? there are plenty of other pensioner hating threads that you can post on rehash the one about the triple lock and leave this for people who want to discuss THIS topic

@itsasin77

When I know of somebody who has never worked a day in her life, has a free home (not council or HA), has her pension, pension credit, private pension, council tax paid for yet is a health hypochondriac and has £100s worth or prescriptions a week, then yes bring this on! It makes me sick the money being wasted on her getting free medication for Made up this, that abs the other for years and years and just gets tablets chucked at her! Even stomach tablets, headache tablets, shampoos, leg shaking etc name it she has a prescription for it. May make the likes of these people think twice if they have to pay for it. She is not financially poor in any way shape or form, and has never paid into the system. So to me, she should pay!!

@itsasin77 This person would still only pay £108 a year as they'd just buy an annual prepayment certificate - which would nowhere near cover the cost of all the medication you mention!

Next up - child benefit. Why pay Child Benefit to people who choose to have children - after all, if you can afford to have children surely you can pay for your prescription charges, pregnancy care etc etc ...............it's the dismantling of the Welfare State and turning people in on each other.

@TalbotAMan

"It is not unfair that the other home nations have more progressive governments, that is simply the choice of the English electorate. England = Tories, sadly for us."

The application of the Barnett formula gives higher public spending per person in the other home nations. The English never seem to get any choice in whether they wish to pay for that.

Oh not the bloody Barnett debate.

England makes its own political choices, the Barnett formula is not the cause of the English prescription charges.

Not sure how also gets pension credit, but she does!

She will only get pension credit if she meets the criteria.

www.gov.uk/pension-credit

I am over 60 and under state pension age, earning well and know how to buy a 12-month certificate.

However, like, I think, most people over 60 I am on permanent prescriptions - three items every month and a fourth every three months in my case - and, to put it bluntly, without those three, which are for asthma and high blood pressure, I would probably be dead by now.

If I was in my forties, where I maybe needed one or two prescriptions a year, I might feel differently, but this amounts to a tax on the not-quite-yet -old.

I'm in Scotland.we all get free scripts here. I am on a lot if medication and used to pay £100 a year for everything which was absolutely fine. Our HS is shocking but free scripts is a vote winner for the snp because sadly some people can't see bigger than indy.

At 57, I was thinking it'd be a nice perk coming up soon. I pay for mine using prepayment £10/11 a month(work in a pharmacy so I know I'm one of the few). I am on 7 medications a month ... heart attack at 53, so I know I'm getting my money's worth. (Nope, don't qualify for medical exemption)

It just makes your heart fall as you know it is just something else that only the squeezed middle will end up feeling the pinch for.

Binnaggy sorry I was so furious with your post I didn't see you thought travel was free for over 60s its not (unless you live in London) but any way this is not the post to moan about travel costs is it?

I know of somebody who has never worked a day in her life

So SAHM's/SAHF - no pensions, no subsidised prescriptions, no access to NHS, State Education, subsidised housing, etc etc

Just imagining the future.................

My point is that certain health conditions are entitled to every prescription being free, but I have two lifelong conditions that require life saving prescriptions, but I have to buy a pre payment prescription as neither fall into the free category.

The application of the Barnett formula gives higher public spending per person in the other home nations. The English never seem to get any choice in whether they wish to pay for that

Nothing to do with prescription charges. Here in Scotland its cheaper to provide free prescriptions for all rather than means testing. Tories in charge of the NHS in England.... never going to happen.