Prescription charges up again.

People can buy a yearly prescription prepayment certificate. If the the outlay is too much for the yearly prepayment certificate, they are able to buy a three monthly certificate. Then all prescriptions come with no further charge.
It’s not unreasonable to ask people to pay some of the cost of their drugs. Other countries do this too.
People aged 60 and over, under 16, and 16-18 if in full time education, don’t pay for prescriptions. Nor do people on benefits.

89% of prescriptions dispensed are free of charge in England.

Approximately 40% of the population are liable to pay for their prescriptions.

Above curtesy of Google.

I put a prescription in once that had a few items on it, the Pharmacist told me get a yearly certificate then pick up the Meds as you get an instant reference number only delayed by a few hours.
I am surprised more people don't know this?

I’ve often wondered if it’s better that all adults pay ‘something’ towards the charge - if only in an attempt to stop the waste of meds. There have been numerous threads on GN about people stockpiling and getting unnecessary repeat prescriptions?

My husband used to have a yearly certificate payment and was surprised when he no longer had to pay at 60 when retirement was at 66

Free for certain health conditions too ....I'm under 60 but had free prescriptions for 13 years as a medical exemption

Why do people aged 60 and over automatically get them free.
It's ridiculous (even though I benefit from it).
My mother-in-law who is 100 has been getting medication "free" for decades and would be happy to pay if asked.

Prescriptions are free to all in Scotland

Why shouldn’t people 60 and over get free prescriptions? Many people of that age have developed age related conditions that require treatment.

Another price increase under the Tories. There are sometimes shortages of some drugs which seems to be a supply chain problem - nothing to do with Brexit of course.

If more people had to pay there wouldn’t be so much wastage, there has been people on here stating that they have medication on repeat that is not used , usually statins, that they have not bothered to cancel or they dont want to use it but do not tell their doctor.

All prescription charges were abolished first in Wales in 2007 followed by Northern Ireland in 2010 and Scotland in 2011. The traditional charging and exemption system still operates in England.

Isn’t Google wonderful? Information at our fingertips.

I’m glad I don’t have to pay anymore! The cost, even with prepayment, would be huge. OH would pay even more. At least two of his medications aren’t always available, which is a worry.

You wouldn’t read about what we have to pay. Consider yourselves very,very lucky.

We do consider ourselves lucky - and so does my son in America who has queued behind people trying to choose between meds - which one will cause the least problem if they don't have it.

What I think is that 60 is an arbitrary age. Most people are working way beyond that and plenty can afford to pay the "nominal" fee.

Some people need exemption certificates and should get them.

Those with money, in my view should pay the nominal charge (or get a passport thingy), once they are adult.

This is the worry, - as granfromafar says - that those on low incomes but not entitled to benefits will not be able to pay for them.

We do need a better system for those on the margins.

Ladyleftfieldlover

I’m glad I don’t have to pay anymore! The cost, even with prepayment, would be huge. OH would pay even more. At least two of his medications aren’t always available, which is a worry.

Don't understand why your husband's prepayment certificate would be 'even more'. I thought it was a standard price.

I think it is ridiculous that all pensioners get prescriptions free. It should be means tested. I may have mentioned that before.

I’m sure a nominal charge of £2-3 would have deterred a friend of ours from stockpiling masses of items that were ultimately thrown out at least twice that I know of. He was notoriously tight, but had plenty of money - I do know this, since dh was an executor after he died.

Why on earth is someone with 2 houses owned outright, and well over £1m in cash, entitled to stockpile dozens of free prescription items that are eventually only wasted?

maddyone

Why shouldn’t people 60 and over get free prescriptions? Many people of that age have developed age related conditions that require treatment.

My husband thought it odd as he was still at full earning power not retired. No difference to me don't take anything apart from the odd paracetamol

I think the 60 age is because traditionally women retired then, and men couldn’t be disadvantaged by still having to pay, but I think 60 has been retained because many people begin to develop health problems then, and so they can still get their medicines free of charge.
I’m sure some bright spark will decide to change the policy at some point, but it remains unchanged at the moment.
When I was working, I bought the yearly prepayment certificate as I suffer from conditions that need medication permanently. Asthma is one of them and I have three different medications for that alone and have done for many years. Additionally I sometimes take steroids for it too. And that’s just one condition. The cost would be considerable if each item was paid for separately, which is why I got the prepayment certificate.

There was a consultation, that ended last year, concerning the upper age for free prescriptions being raised to 66+ in line with pension age. It was decided not to do this and keep it at 60+

From gov.uk - NHS England

"People on a low income who do not qualify for an automatic exemption can also seek help under the NHS Low Income Scheme.

For those who do not qualify for an exemption or the NHS Low Income Scheme, prepayment certificates (PPC) are available to help with frequent prescriptions should they be required.

The annual PPC can be paid for through 10 instalments. This means people can have as many prescription items as needed for just over £2 per week"

Prescriptions are free in Scotland and Wales and both receive block grants from UK government amounting to billions!

I used to buy a prepay certificate. If I had to pay full price now it would cost me £99 per month. I’m quite surprised that it’s a blanket exception for over 60s.