Author Topic: Prescription charges and PPCs  (Read 3434 times)

Wowbagger

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Prescription charges and PPCs
« on: 14 November, 2008, 11:41:04 am »
My new drugs regime is a pain in the arse.

I have to take 12.5mg methotrexate on a weekly basis and, to counteract the nastiness of these drugs, 5mg folic acid daily.

I went for my first repeat prescription today. Methotrexate is a real nasty, so GPs cannot initiate its prescription, they can merely repeat, and they are limited to 4 weeks' supply. Small doses of folic acid can be bought over the counter, but 5 mg has to be prescribed.

Initially the GP set it up so that I should be prescribed 4 * 10mg tablets and 4 * 2.5mg tablets, i.e. 2 prescription items. I persuaded him to prescribe 20 * 2.5 mg so that it should be 1 item. I also think it's adding insult to injury that I have to pay for another prescription item to counter the effects of the first prescription item! At least he can prescribe 3 months' worth of folic acid.

I've worked out that if I bought a 3-monthly Prescription Prepayment Certificate it would save me 55p per month. If I bought a yearly one, to be paid for by 10 direct debits of £10.25, it would save me £18.20 over a year. Of course, there's no guarantee that I will still be on this drugs regime in a year's time.

I don't know why some lifelong conditions (eg thyroid trouble) qualify for free prescriptions and others (rheumatoid arthritis or having a kidney transplant) don't. Dez has to get a carrier bag full of drugs every time he goes to the chemist's and the only reason he gets free prescriptions is that he is in receipt of working tax credits with a disability element.

Of course, we could move to Wales.
Quote from: Dez
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border-rider

Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #1 on: 14 November, 2008, 11:43:37 am »
I was just going to say, move to Wales :)

(or to the bits of England close enough to be included eg bits of the Forest of Dean)

I must go to the pharmacy.  I'm sure I deserve some treatment or other...

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #2 on: 14 November, 2008, 11:45:29 am »
I was just going to say, move to Wales :)

(or to the bits of England close enough to be included eg bits of the Forest of Dean)

I must go to the pharmacy.  I'm sure I deserve some treatment or other...

Avataris agitatis?
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Eccentrica Gallumbits

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Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #3 on: 14 November, 2008, 12:42:08 pm »

I don't know why some lifelong conditions (eg thyroid trouble) qualify for free prescriptions and others (rheumatoid arthritis or having a kidney transplant) don't. Dez has to get a carrier bag full of drugs every time he goes to the chemist's and the only reason he gets free prescriptions is that he is in receipt of working tax credits with a disability element.

Of course, we could move to Wales.

There is no logic to it at all.

You could move to Scotland. Prescriptions are £5 now and the charges will be decreased year on year until they're zero.
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clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #4 on: 14 November, 2008, 12:47:37 pm »
Asthmatics don't get free prescriptions >:(
Getting there...

annie

Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #5 on: 14 November, 2008, 12:51:16 pm »
My prescriptions aren't free.  I need to take the medicine and so have always opted for the PPC as it saves me a few pounds and is less hassle.  Some of my drugs last me for three months but I know this isn't possible with everything.

robgul

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Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #6 on: 14 November, 2008, 12:54:29 pm »
Agree that the system is unfair/unreasonable ... but there's a case for nominal charges to avoid over-use and wastage.    It's the "multiple item" that's the real issue - I used to have 3 items a month ... and the GP wasn't supposed to issue more than a month at a time ... which impacted on the cost.

.... I would suggest the annual prepayment is the answer ... if you need anything else on prescription during the period it will be "free"

Look on the bright side - when you get to 60 you get free prescriptions, 200 quid to spend on coal, free rides on the bus and for a modest outlay, a third off most train fares  :thumbsup:

Rob


Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #7 on: 14 November, 2008, 01:16:39 pm »
I'm on under 9k a year and disabled and I still have to pay for my own drugs 6 items without the prepayment certificate it would cost me over £500 per year being ill is not cheap >:(

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #8 on: 14 November, 2008, 05:42:47 pm »
I didn't think that different dosages of the same medicine counted as a separate 'item' for prescription pricing purposes, so that you should only pay a single prescription charge for a month's supply of a medicine whatever the size of tablet needed to make it up.
I think your pharmacist may be in error if you are being charged any more than this.
Your GP need only write prescription for <whatever> 12.5mg once daily and it's then up to the pharmacy to puzzle out which tablets to dispense, then charge you just the once for it.

Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #9 on: 14 November, 2008, 05:49:04 pm »
I didn't think that different dosages of the same medicine counted as a separate 'item' for prescription pricing purposes, so that you should only pay a single prescription charge for a month's supply of a medicine whatever the size of tablet needed to make it up.
I think your pharmacist may be in error if you are being charged any more than this.
Your GP need only write prescription for <whatever> 12.5mg once daily and it's then up to the pharmacy to puzzle out which tablets to dispense, then charge you just the once for it.

For certain drugs, GPs and other medics now have to specify the dosages - e.g. "2x10mg TDS for 4/52 = 1176 tabs."  Not sure why  but I think its started with controlled drugs prescribing and has crept into other areas.
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Karen Sutton

Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #10 on: 14 November, 2008, 05:53:33 pm »
My new drugs regime is a pain in the arse.

I have to take 12.5mg methotrexate on a weekly basis and, to counteract the nastiness of these drugs, 5mg folic acid daily

I take 20mg methotrexate weekly, and 1 5mg folic acid weekly, three days after the methotrexate.  I wonder why mine is so different from yours ???  You'd think I would need more folic acid, not less.  But at least as I am on WTC I don't pay for my prescriptions.

annie

Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #11 on: 14 November, 2008, 06:02:56 pm »
My new drugs regime is a pain in the arse.

I have to take 12.5mg methotrexate on a weekly basis and, to counteract the nastiness of these drugs, 5mg folic acid daily

I take 20mg methotrexate weekly, and 1 5mg folic acid weekly, three days after the methotrexate.  I wonder why mine is so different from yours ???  You'd think I would need more folic acid, not less.  But at least as I am on WTC I don't pay for my prescriptions.

I was under the impression that the folate status was more likely to decline under a regimen of low dose methotrexate.  I may be wrong but it might explain the variation in your doses.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #12 on: 14 November, 2008, 06:06:56 pm »
I didn't think that different dosages of the same medicine counted as a separate 'item' for prescription pricing purposes, so that you should only pay a single prescription charge for a month's supply of a medicine whatever the size of tablet needed to make it up.
I think your pharmacist may be in error if you are being charged any more than this.
Your GP need only write prescription for <whatever> 12.5mg once daily and it's then up to the pharmacy to puzzle out which tablets to dispense, then charge you just the once for it.

For certain drugs, GPs and other medics now have to specify the dosages - e.g. "2x10mg TDS for 4/52 = 1176 tabs."  Not sure why  but I think its started with controlled drugs prescribing and has crept into other areas.

I think this is the case for Controlled Drugs, whose prescription (like cheques) must be specified in words and figures.
My point is that Wow should only be paying ONE (1) prescription charge for his methotrexate and ONE (1) for his folic acid.

Re: Prescription charges and PPCs
« Reply #13 on: 14 November, 2008, 08:41:00 pm »
I didn't think that different dosages of the same medicine counted as a separate 'item' for prescription pricing purposes, so that you should only pay a single prescription charge for a month's supply of a medicine whatever the size of tablet needed to make it up.


Agreed - my wifes Lithium dosage is made up of two different sized tablets daily, but she gets it on a single prescription.  Oddly she can get paracetomol (for hip pain) on prescription, but now she's had a diagnosis of osteoarthritis she was told to buy Solpadeine! Hey ho.
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