For those who may not be aware, the consultation to take away free prescriptions for 60 years olds is running. Many of us have other issues besides thyroid that we will end up having to pay for. You can submit your own comments here : gov.uk/.../aligning-the-upp.......
You can sign a petition here: you.38degrees.org.uk/.../ke......
Links don't work
I got "page not found" on both those links.
Try this one gov.uk/government/consultat...
and maybe this one? you.38degrees.org.uk/petiti...
In England you are eligible for an exemption certificate if hypo which covers all prescriptions, not just thyroid meds - so we should be ok. Don't think they pay anyway in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
My personal opinion is that free prescriptions for over 60's should remain. I'm hypo and 62....so it won't affect me.
IMO it's the thin edge of the wedge, if they get away with it it would be wrong, we are already subsidising Wales, Scotland and Ireland, even if you get an exemption certificate now, don't think it won't be reviewed in the future - once they start cutting they may go down the means testing road.
'we are already subsidising Wales, Scotland and Ireland'
Why do you say that? I don't think that's how it works.
Definitely not Ireland!
Health has been a primarily devolved matter since powers were transferred to the Scottish parliament and Welsh Senedd on 1 July 1999, and to the Northern Ireland assembly on 2 December 1999. Responsibilities of the devolved authorities include organisational control and funding of the NHS systems, family planning, provision of health services and the prevention, treatment and alleviation of disease, illness, injury, disability and mental disorder. Westminster retained responsibility for these in England. instituteforgovernment.org....
It seems to be trying to align free prescriptions for everyone with the new state retirement age, but current exemptions would remain. I agree that this is the thin end of the wedge and one day it will all be means-tested.
Of course, another way for them to avoid the exemptions, and thus free prescriptions for people under retirement age, is for GPs and consultants to disagree with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism (or any other condition on the exemption list), on the grounds that the test results look normal to them 😉
I suspect it's the continuation of NHS privatisation (already private NHS labs etc). Their problem with that is that people will be reluctant to pay for the poor service often received and switch to better, private healthcare options. Que sera.
Thanks. I was unaware of this. I am on 4 asthma meds and was only ever diagnosed as sub clinical hypo and now on NDT so this will have a big impact on me financially. I was always aggrieved that my asthma meds weren’t free and relieved when I got to 60!
I think there would be protection for those 60-65 at the time it came in but in the future it would be disasterous for many. Currently there is a 40% persion gap between women (that worked) and men so any reduction in benefits would increase hardship.
I wondered if we would get our Medical exemption certificate reinstated (for life long hypothyroidism) or will we have the absurd situation where up to 60 you have one and no charge is made for medication but from 60-66 you have to pay. Given what havoc this darn disorder wreaks on a body it means having to get far more prescriptions to try and put it all right. Thanks for the links the first goes nowhere (I suspect it’s already a done deal) I’ll sign the other even though they start harassing you to sign every petition going, which annoys me.
Free prescriptions.
Why do we get Free prescriptions
stopping levothyroxine-do I lose my free nhs prescription?
Free non prescription medications.
