NHS Prescription Charges

Hey everyone, happy new year to you all.

Just writing to see how everyone is affected by the NHS prescription charges if you are asthmatic. I found out back in November that I would have to pay for my prescriptions as I had celebrated my 19th Birthday. I have several medications that I have to take daily for my asthma which was significantly out of control during the last two years resulting in me resitting my final year of A-Levels. Luckily I managed to apply for free prescriptions due to been in full time education still but at over £30 per month I was and still am outraged by the fact that as asthmatics, we have to pay for our prescriptions that, lets face it, help to keep us alive. Yet the government fails to recognize Asthma as a life-threatening illness and is ""just asthma"" as I hear many people say. But I believe it is now the time to speak out and as part of Asthma UK's campaign, I believe that we should start a petition for free prescriptions for asthmatics and outline the dangers of asthma to those not convinced.

If you too suffer from high or even low prescription charges please let me know how you manage and if there is sufficient support in place because as of yet I have not seen any and would be grateful for any feedback.

Thanks and take care this winter

Paige XX

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The most you need to pay ever is £10 a month by getting a prepayment card. This covers you for the cost of all your prescriptions (which for me is £109 for a months worth). Personally I think this is brilliant value and don't have a problem with it. If you have more than one prescription a month it saves you money.

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what i DO find strange about it is that i take a huuuuggggeeee cocktail of medication for my asthma, and two tablets a day for my adrenal insufficiency, and yet because of those two tablets a day I am medicaly excempt. (BTW Nursefurby - has anyone mentioned that to you yet??) I once worked out the actual cost of my medication (as in - not just the amount i'd have to pay) and its an absolute fortune!! I think if they didnt have pre-payment certificates it'd be pretty outrageous, but if you really cant afford pre-payment cert then you'd likely be entitled to a HC2 cert. I think what is more unfair is that some conditions are and others arent - but the list is pretty old. conditions like CF dont get free prescriptions either! If they were going to do anything they'd have to have a thing where a cons could say if you needed the meds to stay alive and out of hospital, but I agree with nursefurby - its not a bad system - could certainy be much worsre; this might be of interest businessinsider.com/reddito...

[Lil_tinx66]

The pre payment certificate is by far the best option for me it's a one off cost that covers me for a year and the amount I save on buying each item separately is big!

You can find out about the PPC here. nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcos...

There are two options

A three month PPC costs £29.10 and will save you money if you need four or more items in the three months

A 12 month PPC costs £104.00 and will save you money if you need more than 14 items in a year, the yearly certificate can be paid in a lump sum or by ten monthly direct debit payments

I agree the old list that's used to decide who does and who doesn't get free prescriptions is very outdated and unjust but I have to agree with Soph and Nursefurby we are lucky the situation could be much worse at least we have the option of a PPC an don't have to pay to see a doctor etc , wouldn't want to live is the USA!

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Hi Soph, no, I didn't know that - but I've just found out that I'm exempt now because of my tube feeds/PEG which counts as a stoma/medical device. So can give the prepayment thingy up. Still think it's very good value though!

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hehehe! so you're excempt in a few ways! yeah - i didnt realise till my mate told me she got them free for her SAI - as long as you require daily steroids then you count! but i guess if you're already covered thats fine!!

Dont get me wrong - free prescriptions would be awesome (as would free dentists, travel to hospital etc) but while i have free access to all the amazing stuff my hosp and GP give me im not complaining!! (i also really like free pens....and free food.....and free anything!!!)

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Lol free food = great! though unless it's a bit of choccy! it's kinda null and void now..! (I point blank refuse to live without the odd suck on a bit of good chocolate LOL) x

Given how much I've cost the NHS in my life, I also consider myself very lucky, no complaints here

The tube feeding forum I'm on is a real eye opener, as it's mostly US and it's shocking the difficulties people have in getting not just their feed (which they have to pay for) but also the tube feeding equipment and supplies. Insurance simply doesn't cover it. Access to dieticians, gastroenterology follow up etc just doesn't happen either, it's really shocking. I get everything delivered to my home, monthly with no quibbles, it almost makes me feel guilty that I have it so easy.

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hehehe! yeah - no choc would be bad! you'd have to get some kind of chocolate patch - for your mouth.....not sure how that would work but i assume that no choc is in some way against the human rights act!! im a student though - i would eat stuff from the floor if it was free! we had fun at a careers talk trying to work out what on earth the grim stuff in the sandwiches was - it tasted evil, but it was free and we were GOING to eat till we were full. plus there were grapes, and grapes are a nice luxery so ww3 nearly broke out!!

i dread to think what the last few years would have cost in the USA!! people get asked their insurance before their condition when an ambulance comes!! madness!! we are so incredibly lucky - frankly even if it was just hospital and GP care and treatment that was free we should count ourselves lucky - but we do get an incredible amount! the NHS has its flaws - many many flaws - but i wouldnt give it up!!!

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If I paid the standard prescription charges Id be paying almost £200 a month, so the prepayment works out around 50p an item, less on the frequent occasions when I need antibx etc. The drugs I am on actually cost around £4000 a month!!! Like others, I am so grateful to have the NHS and while yes its great to get things for free, to me the prepayment is near enough to free.