50c Prescription Levy

Doug89

What do you think about the 50c prescription charge for medical card holders?

The new minster for health has come out saying that he's going to scrap it, but I don't really see the problem with it?
I know it's taxing the poorest in society, sure SURELY 50c isn't going to stop someone from getting a prescription?

hmmm

This charge has hit my grandmother terribly hard, she has a press full of unused medications that now costs her more to fill.

sollar

The charge should be increased if anything. Who can't spare 50c for essential medication.

The people i feel sorry for are those that just about don't qualify for medical cards and have to fork out €50 to see a doctor and up to €120 for medication.

The politicians seem to think there are only 2 types of people in ireland - (1.) rolling in it rich or (2.) flat broke....... with nothing in between!!

RichardAnd

sollar wrote: »

The charge should be increased if anything. Who can't spare 50c for essential medication.

The people i feel sorry for are those that just about don't qualify for medical cards and have to fork out €50 to see a doctor and up to €120 for medication.

The politicians seem to think there are only 2 types of people in ireland - (1.) rolling in it rich or (2.) flat broke....... with nothing in between!!

I would say that extreme view is fairly common in this country. On these boards, I've heard the phrase "like the rest of us" used many times when someone complains about some else having money.

P. Breathnach

hmmm wrote: »

This charge has hit my grandmother terribly hard, she has a press full of unused medications that now costs her more to fill.

And, of course, that is the nub of the issue: people getting prescriptions filled out of habit, or just because they can, or in case the pills might come in useful some day.

My understanding was that the charge was introduced in order to deter the wasteful practice of people collecting expensive medicines that they do not use.

FoxT

It should be about eu2.50
I am in favour of supporting people who are less well off, but nobody should get anything for zero cost, because that will promote some level of abuse (albeit amongst a minority) . I think eu2 per scrip is a fair charge, 50c is just too low to have any meaning.

For the same reasons GP & A&E visits should also attract a small charge with a ceiling of say eu 20 per month or similar.

dynamick

People behave very differently when they pay a small charge for something compared to receiving that thing for free. We went form 2bn plastic bags to 50m in 1 year when a 15c tax was introduced in 2002. Prescription charges deter overprescription of drugs and lead to patients discussing with their doctors which drugs are really necessary, whether combined treatments would be better and so on.

On the downside, a prescription charge could lead to people avoiding necessary treatment or giving up their treatment midway. In the UK prescription charges were set at £7.20. The Irish approach is to charge a tiny amount to minimise the downside and still get the benefit.

The maximum charge per family per month is €10.

The tax will raise €25m per year from the 50m prescribed GMS items. A far greater saving should come from a reduction in unnecessary prescriptions. Only 35m items were prescribed under the scheme in 2004, so you have to suspect that there is a lot of room for a reduction in the amount of drugs prescribed.

Eliminating prescription charges probably came from a Fine Gael focus group but the question is where else in the health service that this money will be cut because it has to be cut somewhere.

lmimmfn

well anytime i go to the docs i get a perscription for a raft of stuff i dont want and have no interest in, i.e painkillers and crap when i dont need them. As i have to pay for them i tell them at the chemist i dont want them, people on the medical card need to have an incentive to deny certain drugs, it should be 50cent per drug and not per prescription.

Otherwise we have the usual scenario of those with medical cards with presses full of tablets that cost a fortune but will never be used.

I think its a disgrace theyre getting rid of it, if you were hard up and not able to afford this you would get a handout from the local welfare officer.

BeeDI

I saw him on the six o clock news. Interesting that he announces a sweetie for the poor and downtrodden, whilst in the next breath he starts his excuses for not sorting out the hospital waiting list and A&W crisis. Twill take time says the bearded one:rolleyes: Same guy has been belowing from the top of every roof top for several years, that FIXING the healh service and A&E, would be done in jig time once FG came to power.

RachaelVO

P. Breathnach wrote: »

And, of course, that is the nub of the issue: people getting prescriptions filled out of habit, or just because they can, or in case the pills might come in useful some day.

My understanding was that the charge was introduced in order to deter the wasteful practice of people collecting expensive medicines that they do not use.

That's exactly what it is... well pointed out. People moaning about having to pya .50c for a prescription they aren't bloody well going to use!

krazyklown

I work in a pharmacy and i have to say the levy is a huge success; medical card holders regularly ask for some items not to be dispensed as they already have enough or are not taking it.

Couple of weeks ago i went to the home of a woman who had been looking after her recently deceased husband for over two decades and wanted us to dispose of the meds that were left over. I was disgusted with amount of waste, stuff that expired years ago that she had still been getting. Absolutely horrendous.

sollar

Not a good start by Dr Reilly

tenchi-fan

50c just reminds people that the medication IS NOT FREE!

I'd also be in favour of medical card holders over 17 paying €5 to visit their GP.

Atilathehun

sollar wrote: »

Not a good start by Dr Reilly

He is of the medical profession. He is reverting to type. Money for his mates in the medical system.
I voted 1,2,3, FG where there was only 3 FG candidates in my constituency. If O Reilly was in my constituency I would not have voted for him. Something tells me, he is an absolute total waffler.
He has had too much of a past making too damn sure the medical professionals were in a position to gouge the government and public alike withe insanely expensive contracts.

tombliboo83

O'Reilly is an awful choice for health..the man has too many business interests in the med field to be objective in his decision making

Vizzy

Am I correct when I say that it was O'Reilly who negotiated the deal for consultants when he was head of the IMO( or similar organisation)
I wonder if he now intends to de-construct it?

Cookie_Monster

Vizzy wrote: »

Am I correct when I say that it was O'Reilly who negotiated the deal for consultants when he was head of the IMO( or similar organisation)
I wonder if he now intends to de-construct it?

yes and thats the plans as far as I can see it. he's a tough as old boot negotiator as proved in that he got a lot for the above and now he's tasked with taking it back.

In regards the charge, I thin the plastic bag analogy is a good one and should be followed. Stick it at an even €1 for all items on a prescription, little impact on anyone but will make people think about it at the same time.

femur61

I don't have a medical card, don't qualify. I'll wait till the last minute to visit the doctor because of the charge so with the 50c maybe it deter people from filling presses with medication, the charge adds value to the service.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

not yet

RichardAnd wrote: »

I would say that extreme view is fairly common in this country. On these boards, I've heard the phrase "like the rest of us" used many times when someone complains about some else having money.

Please explain to me how this is an extrem view..

dynamick

Other FG/Labour health policies include:
* Free GP visits for all (nice for doctors but will lead to a huge increase in healthy people attending the doctor to discuss their hypochondria, desire to miss work or just for a chat)
* Universal Health Insurance (a form of healthcare poll tax)

The health system is now being run by a man who previously represented the interests of doctors (as head of the the IMO). Now we are to believe that the same person can represent the needs of patients. I doubt it and I expect to see many more policies designed to increase demand for healthcare services paid for by the state while maintaining medical salaries as patient care suffers.

Why employ two doctors for 80K each when you can pay one doctor 160K and let people queue up outside?

irishconvert

Doug89 wrote: »

What do you think about the 50c prescription charge for medical card holders?

The new minster for health has come out saying that he's going to scrap it, but I don't really see the problem with it?
I know it's taxing the poorest in society, sure SURELY 50c isn't going to stop someone from getting a prescription?

It starts off as 50c, a small figure, same way all taxes start. Anyone remember what the A&E charge started out as, probably £5 or £10. Don't be fooled by their underhand ways of introducing more taxes.

irishconvert

dynamick wrote: »

On the downside, a prescription charge could lead to people avoiding necessary treatment or giving up their treatment midway. In the UK prescription charges were set at £7.20.

That is £7.20 PER ITEM. Very expensive if you have a few items to get. Only working people pay it, there is no charge for people with a medical exemption, or children.

whiteonion

Doug89 wrote: »

What do you think about the 50c prescription charge for medical card holders?

The new minster for health has come out saying that he's going to scrap it, but I don't really see the problem with it?
I know it's taxing the poorest in society, sure SURELY 50c isn't going to stop someone from getting a prescription?

Prescription meds are bad for you, they should not be subsidised at all. If you want to poison yourself with drugs from Big Pharma you should have to pay for it yourself.

irishh_bob

sollar wrote: »

The charge should be increased if anything. Who can't spare 50c for essential medication.

The people i feel sorry for are those that just about don't qualify for medical cards and have to fork out €50 to see a doctor and up to €120 for medication.

The politicians seem to think there are only 2 types of people in ireland - (1.) rolling in it rich or (2.) flat broke....... with nothing in between!!

group 1 and 2 both have plenty of voices representing them , group one has the powerfull and wealthy , group 2 has the media and various PC bleeding hear liberal - do gooder QUANGO types

the hated middle class have no one to speak for them

irishh_bob

Atilathehun wrote: »

He is of the medical profession. He is reverting to type. Money for his mates in the medical system.
I voted 1,2,3, FG where there was only 3 FG candidates in my constituency. If O Reilly was in my constituency I would not have voted for him. Something tells me, he is an absolute total waffler.
He has had too much of a past making too damn sure the medical professionals were in a position to gouge the government and public alike withe insanely expensive contracts.

never trust a member of the medical profession , they care only for thier own kind