Asthmatics in England pay for prescriptions

[Auburngal]

Any asthmatic in England who doesn't qualify for free prescriptions pay has to pay for their prescriptions.

Hopefully these people have some sense and get a prepayment certificate for £114.50. Which is paid monthly over 10 months per year. I have three daily asthma medications plus reliever and an emergency pack of oral steroids. If I didn't have a prepaid certificate - I would have spend about £420 a year (prescriptions are £9.90 per item)

Its disgusting that asthmatics have to pay for medication that makes them able to breathe and live a normal life. Over the past 5 years, 4 people have died per day from asthma.

Some sources say asthma isn't exempt as people grow out of it. Bullshit. My asthma has got WORSE since having covid twice. Before covid, I was on reliever and one daily medication. Now the daily medication is double strength and on two further meds. Plus I didn't get diagnosed with asthma till I was 12/13.

Even my GP who I saw an hour ago thinks its disgusting and he's asthmatic himself.

Anyone could say it's disgusting that they have to pay for their prescriptions though. I know that some people with certain conditions are exempt for historical reasons but most people aren't.

While people in England vote for parties that don’t support free prescriptions they are clearly condoning it.
There are hardly any exceptions to the prescription charge in England. Many people need long term regular medication, why should asthma be any different?

I have to take medication every day, and I pay for it. It’s hard to make asthma exempt - what would then happen with other life long conditions?

My ex gets free prescriptions for a thyroid problem. Only needs 1 tablet a day to sort. Strange how the exemptions are made for some and not others.

I'm asthmatic too, and I pay for my prescriptions. Why wouldn't I? How is asthma different to any of the thousands of other chronic conditions which people pay for?

Be grateful it's subsidised by the NHS and you don't have to pay the actual cost of the drugs, which would be astronomical.

As you say anyone can get a pre-paid certificate which only works out to £10 a month. My dh is in a similar situation to yourself and has never begrudged having to pay £10 a month. Because his asthma is severe he also receives an injection delivered to his door once a month to reduce his reliance on steroids - the cost of one injection is £1000. He is grateful he gets this paid for as if he didn't have this for free he would likely be a lot more seriously ill.

It isn't just asthma. There are many of us living with chronic conditions that could kill us who aren't eligible for free prescriptions. I am very grateful for the prepayment certificate scheme.

It is because the exemption was made at a time when few conditions were treatable. It would be fairest to remove it so no condition was exempt but no party wants to do that, particularly as thyroid tablets are cheap.

That’s a lot of money, so I sympathise. I pay close to £700 a year for the privilege of seeing (combination of custom-made lenses, glasses and treatments). If I didn’t wear anything I’d be deemed legally blind. There are many, many chronic conditions people have to pay obscene amounts of money for, just to manage them.

Tbh I think my prescription prepayment certificate is a very good deal. 6 monthly medications for £10.40 or so a month, I really don’t feel like I can complain.

The exemptions are almost all done on a cost benefit reason rather than goodwill for people having a hard time

They are primarily prophylactic medications where you don't feel much benefit straight away, so when paying people would string the prescription out or not refill it to save money. This led to much worse health and much more expensive treatment. Making it free improved adherence and outcomes.

Even if it was applied as a sort of sympathy, there are so many more conditions that would be in with or ahead of asthma in the queue. The prepayment certificate is recognition for these conditions, it's a real help and not a lesser measure of how ill someone is.

I dont understand the logic. Epilepsy meds, free. Thyroid meds, free. Diabetes, everything free from dental to antibiotics.

Obviously I dont begrudge these patients at all, we're all just trying to live. I just dont understand the logic behind it.
I have a list of conditions (including asthma) that are just as life-threatening / life-limiting as the above, yet none of them qualify. Why?

I'd love to know what magic formula or equation the powers-that-be use to determine what life-threatening conditions make you more dead than others, and which patients lives are most worthy..

The prescription exemption categories need an overhaul. At The moment, certain conditions mean that you're exempt from all charges. Ie. You can get free prescriptions for a rash, totally unrelated to your ‘core’ illness.

Who do you think should pay OP?
The NHS presumably gives you free appointments with your GP and consultants plus emergency treatment if you need it?
Just get a prepaid prescription like everyone else. Many adults have conditions which require regular medication and do this. If you had to pay the real cost of your medical appts and prescriptions you would be even more shocked. Instead be grateful for the free NHS treatment you have received so far.

Why is asthma special or different to all the other conditions?

I have schizo-affective disorder & like all the other people with serious mental illnesses eg schizophrenia I have to pay for the medication I take! If we didn't take medication we would be a problem for the rest of society. Why would prescriptions be free for people with asthma but not schizophrenia?

Diabetics don’t get free dental treatment, just free prescriptions. I’d happily pay for a prepayment certificate though.

There isn't a logic. Some conditions are excempt from the time they were the only treatable conditions. No party wants to remove or add to the list.

But you do have a prepayment certificate so what are you complaining about? (I say that as someone who is on three lots of medication myself).

A tenner a month, 30p a day and you are moaning.

I agree. I get the prepayment certificate or it would be expensive. It does piss me off that my sister doesn't pay for her diabetic meds, when she got diabetes from being overweight. I've always had to pay for my prescriptions even though I'm not on a great wage,when most people I know get free prescriptions, it's not fair.

No different to other long term conditions, we all have to pay.

I have assumed this is because any other illness has the potential to seriously worsen my condition that means I am entitled to an exemption

Eg. If I get an infection or any sort I get very ill very rapidly.

But I don't fully understand the logic between which conditions are exempt and which aren't

I'm asthmatic, I have the pre paid prescription and I'm happy to pay just over £10 a month to have access to my medication. I also have a serious mental health condition which I also need meds for to enable me to lead a normal life. £10 a month isn't a lot to feel well.

I was told the list was done a very long time ago before many current medications existed hence no mental health conditions on the list. The few that are named are things we had medications for in the 60's basically

Yes. That is the reason.

I’m asthmatic and I have always paid for my prescriptions. That’s fine by me.

All adults should pay for all of their prescriptions. This would significantly increase much needed revenue for the NHS. The people who genuinely need their medications would be willing to pay for them, even if it meant they needed to deprioritise spending on other non-essentials and it would deter many of the malingerers with made up illnesses who are currently wasting NHS resources & taxpayers’ money.