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

Surely the over 60 thing is health related, not income related. Someone over 60is likely to require more meds than a 20 or 30year old. It is like a medical exemption

If you are medically exempt due to a certain diagnosis, it isn’t always automatic. You have to apply for it, so the millionaire CEO does not need to.

I think all benefits should be means tested. Both my parents (in there 70s) worked all their lives, have excellent pensions, in non Covid times have multiple holidays, can afford pretty much any kind of treat but don’t pay for bus travel or prescriptions! They are super generous but sometimes when I’m looking at my bank statement of mortgage, childcare, tax and insurance, bills, etc and my mum messages about Waitrose being late again, I do wonder……

I don't have a sister in law

I have just been looking at drugs charges compared to prescription charges.

I take a drug called Amnioderone for my heart. This is just one of many different drugs I take. If I get it on prescription, it will cost me £9.60 for 48 tablets. That could be considered expensive. However, if the drug wasn’t subsidised in the first place, those same 48 tablets would cost me £96.96. So that’s 10 times the charge of a prescription.

Maybe before complaining about everything people should look at what it would actually cost them if we didn’t have a health service.

@CounsellorTroi

*No. For everything. My friend also had this. Free prescriptions for everything for life.

She and her partner earn good money too.*

That’s ridiculous. Like I said I am in Wales and before prescription charges were abolished it was only my thyroxine that was free. I paid for anything else.

That surprises me. I'm in England and I've been getting all my prescriptions free since I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism.

Sorry you are right about the change in gluten free food - in 2017 the nhs spent £15.7 million on GF bread, flour, mixes, cakes, pastries and cereals. They then did a consultation and its now changed to bread and flour mixes. The website says the reason the NHS pays for GF food is to encourage ceoliacs to follow a GF diet as it thinks the costs more in health issues if they don't.
www.england.nhs.uk/medicines-2/medicines-optimisation/prescribing-gluten-free-foods-in-primary-care-guidance-for-ccgs-faqs/#what-options-for-change-have-been-considered

Waiting for the next suggestions as to who should pay for their own medical care:-

• Those injured while pursuing leisure activities ie sport, cycling
• Those with 'conditions related to life choices' - alcohol, drugs, smoking, overeating *Those choosing to have children *Those wanting help to have children
• Those injured while driving

Maybe we could add on to the list to help dismantle our NHS

@a8mint

Surely the over 60 thing is health related, not income related. Someone over 60is likely to require more meds than a 20 or 30year old. It is like a medical exemption

Its something like 65% if free prescriptions are in the over 60 category. Dh is 60 next week, he has a prepaid cert , but on 4 tablets a day including aspirin which we pay for OTC, but i think he could probably get that free if he wanted to.

ElvisPresleyHadABaby
See this is all well and good, but my DD20 suffers severe asthma, and also needs quite a few prescriptions to keep her alive. She's a student and has not been able to afford to pick up some of these medications immediately, having to wait to be paid or asking if I can transfer her some
Sounds like she is eligible for an HC2 certificate - she needs to fill in an HC1 form. The certificate gives free prescriptions, eye tests, dental appointments for at least a year for those who qualify.

Launch of the NHS note - so older people who have worked all their lives have paid their dues and are subsidising those who haven't worked as long or worked at all.

Charities have warned an NHS prescription will soon cost more than £10 per item as the ‘tax on ill health’ continues to increase.

*Age UK said raising the age for free prescriptions would have a ‘disastrous impact’ on older people’s health and cost more in the long term.

Charities have warned an NHS prescription will soon cost more than £10 per item as the ‘tax on ill health’ continues to increase.

Age UK said raising the age for free prescriptions would have a ‘disastrous impact’ on older people’s health and cost more in the long term

What free prescriptions does do is ensure people take medication, resulting in reduced costs in future

But it also encourages people to stockpile and waste prescriptions because they just tick that they want everything on their list whether they need it or not. In our area most surgeries have signed up to a local scheme designed to prevent prescription waste, so we get interrogated whenever we order. The new system will not now allow patients to authorise pharmacies to order for them, because again they just order everything without checking if it is actually needed.

And there's a huge poster in the surgery of things they will not prescribe and expect people to buy over the counter.

@AlternativePerspective
My dh has heart problems , he takes 10 tablets ( prescribed a day ) to help keep him alive . He does not get free prescriptions.

I was just grateful to be able to only pay prescription costs
One of my meds is hundreds of pounds per injection and in America it's something ridiculous like thousands of dollars
I have two injections, and three other tablet medications on prescription but they're free now as I have hashimotos

@StoneofDestiny that may be how NHS and NI contributions were sold to the older generation but all of us who are working are making NI contributions and I'm not sure that even by the time I reach state retirement age that connection will still exist for a free POS NHS.

I don't know what the right answer is but we can't rule out making changes to something that was promised 40 years ago in much different financial and global circumstances.

I’m over 60 & have always thought that the prescription charges should be tied to the pension age. Same as free public transport.

@Mischance

There has always be controversy over the means-test or universal dilemma. It often costs more to means-test than it does to simply do the same for everyone.

I get free prescriptions, but could afford to pay. I have never had the situation where a GP has told me they will not prescribe and I must go to chemist and buy myself.

I think it is entirely reasonable that if there are going to be prescription charges they should continue till retirement, as long as there is provision for those on very low incomes.

I have never been refused a prescription but on a couple of occasions the GP has said they could write me a prescription if I wanted, but it would be cheaper for me to buy over the counter.

I actually didn’t realise prescriptions were free for 60 year olds; I thought it was already linked to pension age. Can’t see the problem. 60 year olds should be working anyway so of course they can pay for prescriptions.

I don't know what the right answer is but we can't rule out making changes to something that was promised 40 years ago
A promise is a promise. If the Government keep retrospectively changing the rules then who can blame the younger generation for thinking about avoiding/evading tax?
Trust has to be on both sides for it to work.

Charities have warned an NHS prescription will soon cost more than £10 per item as the ‘tax on ill health’ continues to increase
But nobody needs to pay more than £10 however maby items they have under the prepaid prescription scheme

@VikingVolva - England is the only Home Nation which charges for prescriptions.

something that was promised 40 years ago in much different financial and global circumstances.
Something that Labour set up without funding properly. They kicked the problem down the road. They have form for this. They love to give out freebies and be seen as the good guys.

I live in Scotland but when I lived in England I was happy to pay the £100 a year for my prescriptions. I don't think it's a good idea to have them free for everyone though, there are already exemptions for children, those with certain conditions etc, and I have no doubt there is a huge amount of discarded 'free' meds every year.