Prescription benefit gone from 100 to 120!

workaccount

I've just found this out today. Unbelievable.

That's basically means 220 euro a year extra coming out of my pocket!

Aaaahhh. Is this definitely true - I'm so feckin' pissed off. I can afford it I suppose but it means the money needs to come from somewhere else now. F8ck the government and the developers. Just a bunch of smart f*****s.

I thought I was smart by managing my money and my greed during the recession - looks like I was wrong - I should have been a builder - I'd be well able to afford this extra 20 euro a month then.

Shifty

Its definitely true:

The December 9th Budget for 2010 announced an increase in DPS Threshold of €20

The monthly threshold for the Drugs Payment Scheme is being increased from €100 to €120.

Prescription Charges for Medical card Holders
New Prescription charge of 50c per item for Medical Card Holders.

This charge is subject to a monthly ceiling of €10 per family

This charge is expected to save €25 million a year. It looks like it will take effect from April 2010.

http://www.moneyguideireland.com/category/budget-2010/page/2

3DataModem

workaccount wrote: »

That's basically means 220 euro a year extra coming out of my pocket!

Presumably you mean 240 per year?

GerardKeating

3DataModem wrote: »

Presumably you mean 240 per year?

Maybe the OP only fills his perscription 11 months of the year?

workaccount

3DataModem wrote: »

Presumably you mean 240 per year?

Yes your right actually. I'm not great at doing sums in my head!

Kevster

Jesus, I'm sorry to hear that guys. I've been taking medication daily since being diagnosed with a chronic illness, and I was so pissed off by paying the 100 per month; but now 120!? I'm glad I moved to the UK. I only pay 14.40GBP per month here (7.20GBP per item) - The NHS is great (despite the stuff you hear about in the media). I have to take this medication for the rest of my life too.

bob50

Kevster wrote: »

Jesus, I'm sorry to hear that guys. I've been taking medication daily since being diagnosed with a chronic illness, and I was so pissed off by paying the 100 per month; but now 120!? I'm glad I moved to the UK. I only pay 14.40GBP per month here (7.20GBP per item) - The NHS is great (despite the stuff you hear about in the media). I have to take this medication for the rest of my life too.

Thats a great system iam in the same boat as yourself having to medications for asthma & stomach probs for the rest of my life but have to pay 120€ per month i know the drugs are expensive but as a lowly paid worker 120 euro per month is crazy money if i was on the dole id have the medical card God bless the NHS hopefully the tories wont ruin it for you

Kevster

I've only been here for 6 months but am already registered to vote, and it's Labour and Browne I'm going for this year. He's still standing after going through so much after Blair - I think the gen. population here have come to respect him [Browne] now.

The Brits still complain about the NHS though, but coming from Ireland I see it as being much better. I even had to take an emergency trip to a hospital here, and when i was discharged I was expecting someone to come to me with a bill. The doc just said to go home though... I was lik, "Do I not have to pay anything?". He just laughed and said "of course not!".


Kevin

bob50

Kev thats great as you know here they would hit you with a bill of 100€ for visiting the the A&E Mary harney has ruined the health service in Ireland trying to make it like Americas system where you pay for everything even if you pay your taxes

spurious

I get a tax refund every year of a proportion of the cost of my drugs. I never applied for it, they just gave it to me. Perhaps you could look into that?

Kevster

I was on my parents' VHI scheme when I lived in Ireland, and - yeh - they informed me that they got a bit of the prescription fees back at the end of the year. It's weird though - If I stay here in the UK long term (which I intend to do), then I'll have saved an enormous amount of money (provided that the NHS system isn't changed for prescriptions). i mean, I'm talking about thousands of pounds here, because I have to rely on this damn stuff (my medication) everyday for the rest of my life.

Kevin

kangaroo

There are much more restrictions with regard to what doctors can prescribe in the UK. Many of you will know about NICE from the last 10 years or so but they have been watching and challenging what doctors have been prescribing for a long time.

As I recall, the UK has the worst (or something close to it) access to Cancer drugs in the Europe.
I mainly know more about patients' frustrations in other areas but definitely recall that access to Cancer drugs was considered poor compared to other countries.

In Ireland, the drugs budget is supplemented by the money people pay.
Of course, that doesn't mean there isn't room for efficiencies e.g. more generic prescribing.

I think co-pays are reasonable. Although perhaps the figure is getting too high in Ireland, I don't know. The system is kind of odd as it is based per household.

locum-motion

Kevster wrote: »

I was on my parents' VHI scheme when I lived in Ireland, and - yeh - they informed me that they got a bit of the prescription fees back at the end of the year.

Not from the VHI they didn't. Probably claimed it against their income tax.

KiLLeR CoUCh

locum-motion wrote: »

Not from the VHI they didn't. Probably claimed it against their income tax.

Are you sure? I don't claim back on VHI much but I thought I remembered something mentioned about medicines and GP fees... Maybe it just depends on your policy? But I'm open to correction on that.

locum-motion

KiLLeR CoUCh wrote: »

Are you sure? I don't claim back on VHI much but I thought I remembered something mentioned about medicines and GP fees... Maybe it just depends on your policy? But I'm open to correction on that.

Been working in pharmacy since 1988, and I've yet to hear of anyone getting money for medicines back from the VHI. They used to before that though!

bob50

Not that i am aware the vhi never pay any benfit on prescription charges Unless if you are a inpatient in hospital they will pay for the drugs charges