free prescriptions, do you pay?

i think we should mount a campaigh for free prescriptions, was wandering how many of us actaully pay?, and yes I have a prepayment, costs are riding to 7.40 an item in april

[Hidden]

I've always had to pay for my prescriptions, I too now use the pre payment certificate. when I was on a lot more meds than I am now I occasionally had to go without my meds for a week or two until I could afford them.

There was a review of prescription charges under the last government Professor Ian Gilmore carried it out (dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/gr...

Agree that anyone with a long term condition should get free prescriptions. There was a report on one of the consumer programmes that showed how the current system was flawed (I'll see if I can find it)

[Hidden]

thanks I THINK we should still push forward on this matter as scotland as weel as wales now get free prescrptions

[Hidden]

I quite agree Alison, they're building in even more problems, as we saw with the"postcode Lottery" of prescribing drugs for RA.

It was over a year ago they promised free prescriptions for those with long term conditions (kcil.org.uk/campaign-free-p... We need the Prescription Charges Coalition campaign to continue! (campaign.publicaffairsbrief...

[Hidden]

I pay too, but also now have a pre-payment certificate which makes it a lot cheaper,going from £36 per month to £10.40 per month. I guess it depends on what med you are on and how much you have. I actually don't pay any national insurance contributions any more because at the end of the year we have never made enough money, but i can afford £10 a month at the moment. It is vital though that anyone on a low income should get free prescriptions. Not necessarily low income, but anyone who is on a top up benefit say tax credits get it anyway. Then again, if you are working and paying your NHI contributions you should get it free also. On my goodness I am rambling.... Its a difficult one. Whatever I will join the campaign!

[Hidden]

I don't pay at the moment as I'm receiving Child tax credit low income. That's about to change and I will once again have to buy a yearly PPC, like the rest of you.

The web addresses Jo quotes provide what i believe to be the latest position; free scripts for long term conditions has been shelved. I'm sure NRAS will know about any movement/change in this. It may be worthwhile you contacting them before further action on our part. It really needs the full backing of NRAS and other organisations rather than a small group of us trying to move it forward. But I agree wholeheartedly with the principle.

[Hidden]

I think the system is flawed and in dire need of updating although I am one of the lucky ones who benefits from the medical exemption categories.

I do have a Medical Exemption card which entitles me to free prescriptions but I didn't qualify because of my RA but because I also have a thyroid condition. I know so many people with other chronic conditions who don't qualify and miss out on vital medication as they can't afford the charges. It feels unfair and unjust.

Have just signed the petition - thanks for the link above.

[Ailsa-NRAS Partner NRAS]

Hi

Just to make you aware - NRAS are part of a coalition of charities who have been working for the last 18 months or so to gain free prescriptions for all people with long term conditions. Gordon Brown when Prime Minister said that he would grant free prescriptions for people with LTCs but reneged on this. So far the new coalition government have said that they will not be going down this route but we fight on!

[Hidden in reply to Ailsa-NRAS]

hi well we have all signed the petition now, 7.40 versus free in scotland and wales, the system does annoy me ., have told katie how great this site is thanks once again

alison x

[emandedmum]

Pre-payment, can't afford to do it any other way! We don't qualify for any help benefit wise anywhere and struggle every month as it is, grrrr, blooming RA.

[Hidden]

aprepay ment and no benefits either,

[SaraF]

Luckly no as I have under active thyroid it entitles me to free prescriptions although it took over a year to be advised this and where to get the form from.

[Hidden]

I pay too, like most of you I have a pre-payment no way I could afford it otherwise.I have my Rituximab as an inpatient via infusion and I collect my Methotrexate injections every 4wks from the hospital. But like most of you have loads of other things like anti-inflammatory,pain-relief, and all the other stuff we have to put up with.

But what I don't get is that I have an over-active Thyroid and still have to pay but if its under-active you don't!! wheres the sense in that lot.

mand xx

[Hidden]

tyes the system is crazy, jo another blogger has linkdsto a gilmour report

[Hidden]

I spent a few years buying the pre-payment certificates, however it the past 18 months Ive gotten worse and been unable to work long hours so I now qualify for tax credits. So I now get my prescriptions free but only because I am on such a low income.

I do think its wrong that diabetics get free prescriptions but not us.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

hmm, may be im tring to work to many hours 28.75, mortgage to pay, am on low income for a person on their own, tried to for tax credits earned bout 400 or so above working tax limit, no kids!, means a diff!, wouldnt say my hourly rate is too high, no its not 28.75 or even that close, but as I have done three years of training ..., originally studied chemistry, retrained in pharm in 30s

[sallym123 in reply to Hidden]

I disagree with ur diabetic comment. My mom passed away due 2 type 1 diabetes. The amount of problems they get is dreadful & wouldn't wish it on any1. Not having a go but if u don't understand diabetes. U really shouldn't make the comment.

[nomoreheels in reply to sallym123]

Just so you're aware as you're new, welcome by the way, the link is very old & the person you replied to has deleted their account, a grey avatar means they're no longer active on the site. I didn't want you to think he/she wasn't responding to your comment.

I'm so sorry to hear your Mum passed away from Type 1 diabetes. I agree with your sentiments, it is also a concern for many of us that having RD were not eligible for free prescriptions given that we have a progressive, chronic condition. As you'll have read in Ailsa's reply going back more than 7 years the NRAS was one of the charities working towards us having free prescriptions, to date we still don't. We wouldn't be able to function without our meds & I'd certainly be pleased to not to have to pay £104 a year on PPC's (I have 12 different meds on repeat monthly). I see that this is what was meant, that we need daily meds as diabetics do, given we also have a progressive disease yet we don't have free prescriptions not that those with diabetes shouldn't. Without them we'd flare & sustain joint damage, the replacement joint ops costing thousands. Also, being extra-articular because of the systemic inflammation we'd have without our meds we'd be at even greater risk of a stroke, heart attack, ILD & more, that doesn't bear thinking about.

[Andrea_Shapiro]

I bought the pre-payment certificate last year (the Enbrel is delivered, but I have to pay for the sulfasalazine, BuTrans, naproxen & paracetamol) . I work & can't afford charges. Try petitioning the office of the deputy Prime Minister: I'll not say that it will work, but it's the best hope that we have at the moment.

[Hidden in reply to Andrea_Shapiro]

there is a link,! jo c another blogger, nice rock chc I ik, girl, one of the first replies, that I had click on and there is a link to paper on recommendations and the petition, were do you work?, how many hours?

If you dont me mind me saying feel we are punished for working??

[Andrea_Shapiro in reply to Hidden]

Hi Summer, sorry for delay. I am proud to say that I work full time, but I get all of those weirdy looks & aside comments that I oughtn't be there on account of my adjustments & access to work! I wouldn't say that we're punished for working (hell! I get £22 per week in working tax credits!!), but I wouldn't have to pay my rent or council tax if I wasn't. We're not punished for working in the sense of being tax payers & contributing to the economy, but we are in the sense that other employees see us as getting 'a perk', like a disability parking space, or our own desk!

[Tone]

I paid with a prepayment certificate up until I turned 60

[Hidden]

thank you all for your comments x

[Tricia-P]

Hi Summer

as I said in my blogg I buy a yearly with the BP pill it will be 14 items

i can't even bring myself to think howmuch that adds up to a year.

Love

Tricia

[Hidden]

I but three monthly prepays and stock up only 12-13 items for me lol xx

[Hidden]

Alison,

If you are on low income and cant get tax credits to help have you tried getting help with health costs, you need to get a HC1 form from your job centre , heres the link with info nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcos...

Its worth a try anything helps, RA is expensive to have not just costs for prescriptions, but costs for care when I cant get out off bed, help with laundrey, living aids and costs off getting to all the appointments we have it all mounts up and thats not to mention all the time off sick we have, I am over 10k a year worse off just in wages alone.

[Tricia-P]

Hi

I'm not sure if I'm entitled to anything, we don't have a mortgage, i only worked 28 hours a week as a Travel consultant. not huge pay we do it for love of travel, My husband was in the army 25 years i didn't work then as abroad.So my NI subscriptions are minimal. How do I find out if I can claim anything.

Sorry wrong blog for this really but it seems to be leading us this way.

Best wishes everyone

Tricia aka wingless travelgirl

[Hidden]

hi tricia alison here aka summer not entitled to any thing

[Hidden]

Check this website to see if you would be entitled to tax credits:

taxcredits.hmrc.gov.uk/Qual...

And check this website to see if you can get any benifits:

turn2us.org.uk/benefits_sea...

Hope these can help you xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

hello you are much more computer literate than me, these links will help loads of us thankyou x

[Hidden]

he everyone please look abve this message to see ra fibro links to help ful sights it was very kind of her to put them here for us all to use.

ALI

[Hidden]

Your Welcome Alison if there is anything else I can help you with if I can I will. I really hope these links can at least help one off you xxx

[Sharon56]

I dont pay as I have a medical excemption certificate as I have a underactive thyroid. I think it is disgusting that others have to pay especially those of us who need our meds on a regular basis. I cannot understand how Scotland and Wales dont have to pay and we do.

[Jojo06]

Reading all your comments make me realize how lucky I am to be living in France. My GP applied for me to be accepted at 100% by the social security as I suffer from RA. This means that anything related to my RA is covered by the secu and consequently free for me, some tests I need to pay for but very very few.

Every three years I have to be 'reassessed' and reapply for the 100% but that is done by my GP. I didn't realize that you have to pay for all meds in the UK, I have been away for about 19 years now.

The system needs to be relooked at , especially if certain parts of the UK get free prescriptions and others don't. Just signed the petition and shared it, it may not apply to me now but that doesn't mean I'm not concerned.

[Hidden]

thank you jojo or should I say merci beaucoup x

[Jojo06]

Thanks'll do Summer et je vous emprie

[abednegomonkey]

I don't pay either as I have a medical exemption. However, my daughter does! We tend to get a monthly one - stock up - then don't need to renew it straight away. She gets NHS receipts from the chemist, so she can decide when to back date the next one from. It usually saves 4 months per year.

[Judi]

Sympathise with all of you who have to pay. I've had RA for about 20 years and it was several years on from being diagnosed that I found out I could have been on a pre-payment certificate, as I was being prescribed 3 items each month. I was working full time but having a daughter still at school I was cross (the money I could have saved would have gone a long way to funding school uniforms and etc.!) Sorry, I've digressed. I am now a pensioner so don't have to pay but it still annoys me to think that people with long term, no cure, diseases have to pay anything at all towards prescriptions. We didn't ask to have these often disabling diseases.

[Hidden]

take it that all people who pay for prescriptions know it is 7.40 PER ITEM now.. as from begining of april please look above for links for hc1(low income courtesey of RF- fibro and the link for the on line petition for action against preccription charges coutesy of Joanne C.

Lots of Gps/ health trusts are only giving one months supply for 7.40 NOW TOO ! X

[Hidden]

hi, in latest edition of nras .. the coalition government has failed to implement free prescription charges for the chronic condition of rheumatoid arthrits//

desite free prescriptions in wales and scotland!!, prepayment for three months is now 29.10 and each prescription item is £7.40

[cathie]

I have an underactive thyroid among other delightful conditions, so I havent paid ever for RA medication. Now i live in Scotland we're under a different regime, where the Holyrood government has prioritised health services. Emphasis on preventive medicine, good diet, exercise as well as the well publicised free prescription. The same should be implemented in England, lets keep up the pressure! I've just signed the petition and will do anything else, like write letters etc if NRAS want us to.

[Hidden]

thank you cathie

[Hidden]

Hi all, I will sign the petition, LTC need free prescriptions. I am lucky that I already have diabetes (well, perhaps lucky is the wrong word lol) and therefore am exempt from prescription charges. I dread to think how much I would spend if I didnt have this. We do need to keep pressure up. How often do drugs fail? We cant get refunds for these drugs so we do need exemptions.

[Hidden]

thnks petti x

[RichC]

Hiya all, i think free prescriptions for all is not a win-able fight at the moment .

However , it should be noted that welfare reform is under way at the moment , especially with regard PIP's and Universal Credit., and now is a perfect time to campaign for prescription costs to be passported by any amount of government help from Universal Credit or PIP.

What i don't want to see is people forced to make the decision between getting a prescription filled or eating, paying for gas , etc. ad believe me this does happen.

Rich

[Hidden]

great richard how true alison xx

[plimco]

yes I have Asthma, Arthritis in my knees .diverticula .lupus discoid IBS. and still have to pay may get them free at 60 I'm 59 now

[Hidden]

Hi summer I am from Northern Ireland &we get free prescriptions . Everybody gets them even if you are working.

[Hidden]

Hi summer, I'm from Northern Ireland & everybody gets free prescriptions