Advice on prescription charges please.

[aconsumer]

Hello, I'm writing this for a good friend of mine as I'm so fed up at her treatment by, what seems like, everyone in the NHS that I would be very grateful if anyone can offer any advice.

 

She has Lupus, has had for many years, and is currently on Long-term Incapacity Benefit, she has recently had a major operation on her carotid artery-following a series of mini strokes-which she was told was 80% blocked. This is partly due to "sticky blood" caused by Lupus.

 

The problem recently is that she cannot afford to get the drugs needed for her to control the Lupus; and because she isn't "eligible" for Income Support she, apparently, can't get free prescriptions.

 

Does anyone know of anywhere I can get some further advice for her? Is there anyone that can help her with this? i.e. an organisation etc?

 

Would be very grateful for any responses.

 

Thanks

[emmaf01]

If she is on benefits like incapacity benefit, there are 2 options.

 

1)She could see if she can become "medically exempt" from paying for presciptions. Certain medical conditions enable your GP to fill in a form and you receive a certificate entitling you to free prescriptions- you need to ask your GP whether you fulfill the criteria necessary- I'm not completely sure.

 

2) Low income- HC1 form- which can entitle you to free prescriptions, optical vouchers- you can get this form from many chemists.

 

Neither is absolutely ideal for many cases- but I hope one or the other might help!

[fairclaire]

It is unfortunately one of the great scandals of our benefits system. People on income support are entitled to free prescriptions whereas people on incapacity benefit (who are too ill to work...or they wouldn't be on incap) are not.

 

I have both lived with and have daily dealings with people through work who are in this position and it has always outraged me. Unfortunately there is no easy answer to it.

 

Is your friend recieving any form of tax credits? if so there can be circumstances where that attracts free prescriptions.

 

If not then there is not alot that can be done benefits wise.

 

There are, however, some charities that will help people in the position that your friend is in. Some are well known and some are not very well known at all. Not everyone likes resorting to charity but in some cases the benefits system leaves no choice for genuine people in this sort of situation.

 

Does your friend have a pre-paid prescription certificate? these do cost money but if a person is having to buy alot of prescriptions they do save money. But again these are only valid for normal prescription medications. If he/she hasn't I would recommend this first as it will cut down on the cost of single prescriptions in the first place.

 

Obviously I am home at the moment and the info I need is at work. I will gladly look it out tomorrow if I can help you any more. I don't know about your friend's ailment in particular but I can find out what help, if any, is available.

 

I do deal with alot of charities and whilst I cannot garuntee you help, I should be able to put you in touch with someone who can help with more specific advice for your friend than I can give.

 

No promises but will help if I can.

 

PM me if you need any more info.

 

Best wishes to you and your friend

[hepburn07]

Here's the information on what constitutes 'medically exempt', not sure that it will help you specifically sorry.

 

Medical Exemption Certificates (Medex)

 

People with specified medical conditions can get free NHS prescriptions if:

 

• they suffer from any of the medical conditions listed below and
  
• they hold a valid Medical Exemption Certificate
  

 

The Authority's Medical Exemption Issue Office is responsible for issuing Medical Exemption Certificates on behalf of the Department of Health for England to patients who suffer from one of the specified medical conditions.

 

The specified medical conditions are:

• a permanent fistula (for example caecostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy or ileostomy) requiring continuous surgical dressing or requiring an appliance
  
• forms of hypoadrenalism (for example Addison's disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential
  
• diabetes insipidus or other forms of hypopituitarism
  
• diabetes mellitus except where treatment is by diet alone
  
• hypoparathyroidism
  
• myasthenia gravis
  
• myxoedema
  
• epilepsy requiring continuous anticonvulsive therapy
  
• a continuing physical disability which means the person cannot go out without the help of another person. Temporary disabilities do not count even if they last for several months.
  

 

The Medex Application Process

 

If you suffer from one of the specified medical conditions, to obtain a Medical Exemption Certificate, you must complete application form FP92A, available from doctor's surgeries. You are required to complete parts 1 and 2 and your doctor (or an authorised member of the practice staff) is asked to sign to confirm the information given by you is correct.

 

Practitioners then send the completed application forms.

[aconsumer]

Dear all, thank you so much for your responses.

 

In response to fairclare's questions: no, she does not receive any tax credits and I've spent a long time trying to get some answers to this but can't.

 

Thank you hepburn07; I had seen that info previously and am still stunned that they don't include lupus on that list. My husband is epileptic and so receives free prescriptions, and he even questions why he should get, for example, antibiotics without charge when they're completely irrelevant to his condition!

 

Fairclare if you have any further info then I am more than willing to work the phone for her! Thank you so much

[emmaf01]

Being on incapacity benefit myself, I recommend trying the HC1 form- if your friend lives without a partner (or with a partner who is not working ), she can get free prescriptions.

 

It would be my first choice.

[bazak1]

have you tried a look on uklupos.co.uk theres a chat roomon there where you may get more info from people who have gone through the same. all the best

[Guest Gertie100]

Not really adding value to this thread, but would just like to say that I get free prescriptions as I live in Wales, however I can afford to pay for them, and I am quite willing to...its disgusting that people who can afford to pay don't have to, and people who can't afford to pay do.

sorry - rant over

[Jhawc24]

My husband receives long term incapacity benefit and disibility living allowance. Although we get some tax credits, my earnings take us just above the threshold for getting free prescriptions. This does make finances difficult with only one wage coming in and three children to support.

 

We find it easier to purchase a pre-payment certificate as in the long term it saves us a lot of money on prescription charges. This may be the best option for your friend if she cannot get free prescriptions. There is also a good website here Youreable.com | Information, products and services for disabled people.

[rosiecotton]

It's shocking isn't it.

 

My ex had a rare condition, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, which basically meant he suffered from tumours on his liver which also caused constant stomach ulceration. He had to take medication daily in order to have any quality of life - if he had not taken those drugs, he would be in constant pain and potentially have to have an op to remove his stomach! He had already had a large portion of his stomach removed when I met him.

 

However of course it is not on that very specific list, and he has to pay for his regular prescriptions, and will have to for the rest of his life. Yet a woman he works with has thyroid problems, and constantly boasts that she can get everything free (she'll go to the doctors for everything, even over the counter stuff, just because she can).

 

Really, they shouldn't have a specific list like this. Prescriptions should be free for anyone who is dependent on a drug to survive and have any quality of life. But it should only cover the drugs they need for that condition.

[hackersons]

I know exactly what you're talking about. I am a lupus sufferer, and was first diagnosed 20 years ago as a small child. Lupus can be fatal, and I have twice had to be admitted to hospital as my illness was so bad doctors thought I was going to die.

 

As a direct result of my lupus I need to take daily medication and precautions to try and keep my disease under control. And yet, despite it being classed as a life threatening disease, there is no help with medical expenses available for lupus sufferers.

 

Every day of my life I have to take Plaquenil (steroids) & hydroxychloroquine (anti-malarials) to keep my immune system under control. Every day I have to cover my body in factor 60 sunblock. And almost everyday I have to take ibuprofen (NSAIDs) to help with the pain.

 

I have to do all of this EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE, and probably for the rest of it. But I am expected to buy all these medications and sunblocks myself. I find it very expensive - even with the pre payment scheme. And even though I am advised to wear sunblock by my numerous doctors it is not available for me on the NHS and I have to buy it myself.

 

I have always suffered with severe photosensitivity & arthritis, as well as many other problems, and the disease has had a huge effect on my life. I live in daily pain, with everyday tasks becoming painful & time consuming. I suffer with rashes, lesions & internal organ problems due to my photosensitivity, and am forced to avoid sunshine or places with strip lights and energy saving bulbs.

 

My lupus is progressive and over the last 20 years my health & mobility have deteriorated considerably, and will continue to do so until I can no longer cope without care. I need these medications just to make life bearable, and i think they should include lupus on the exempt list for prescription charges, as without these drugs my life expectancy would be dramatically less.

[Esio Trot]

A move to Wales would solve this problem - though it is probably too drastic a solution to this problem.

 

The Welsh Assembly brought in free prescriptions for all recently.

[Panthro]

.

Every day of my life I have to take Plaquenil (steroids) & hydroxychloroquine (anti-malarials)

 

Plaquenil is the brand name for hydroxychloroquine. Hope you aren't double dosing! :grin:

[stardust_john]

Epilepsy and was giving one prescription box that said leveteracitam and one that said keppra. Unfortunately I get confused and came of the meds due to one thing and another. I didnt realise these two boxes were the same, one looked foreign and one normal, felt a berk when told it was the same thing, but easy done.

 

I feel for you over the prescription charges issue. These drug companies charge disgusting prices, and that is why its so hard to get them free I believe, someone told me each month of my meds cost over 300.00, dont know if true, but frightening, as it is I get them free, but you should too.