Obtaining medications not under GMS - hard ship scheme??

Ramon1000

Hi.
I spoke with my pharmacist about getting a medicine Ireland that I normally get back home and is covered under my insurance, but it doesn't appeared to be covered by the GMS scheme in Ireland.
She said I can fill out a form and apply under the "hard ship scheme"?
But didn't seem optimistic about the chances of success.
She mentioned that can be improved my having a consultant sign off on the request.
Does anyone have information or experiences with this?
The medication would cost about 100 euro a month.... I don't know how much its actual cost would affect their decision.
Would sending an application from a GP even be worth my while?
As I don't have a consultant, and am not keen about the idea of paying 250 euro for a private consultation which would last the 30 seconds or so it would take the consultant to sign the form.

echo beach

You can check if the drug you require is covered by the GMS scheme here. https://www.sspcrs.ie/druglist/pub;JSESSIONID12=yNZTo4ZdxKWD67PWYqWOlRCKc7flbNZYgy_uPoKTe5syH9iQaS2j!92245058!1145876375

If it isn't on the list then the hardship scheme MAY be an option. It is very restricted and your pharmacist probably has reason to be pessimistic of your chances of approval.
You can put in an GP application and then when it is refused there is an appeal process which does require a consultant to explain why there is no suitable alternative for your condition.
Even if you are approved it may not be possible to acquire the product at the price the HSE is willing to pay. This co-called 'scheme' is outside of the contract between pharmacists and the state and its complex administration means many pharmacies don't operate it at all or only do so on a limited basis.

palmcut

echo beach wrote: »

You can check if the drug you require is covered by the GMS scheme here. https://www.sspcrs.ie/druglist/pub;JSESSIONID12=yNZTo4ZdxKWD67PWYqWOlRCKc7flbNZYgy_uPoKTe5syH9iQaS2j!92245058!1145876375

If it isn't on the list then the hardship scheme MAY be an option. It is very restricted and your pharmacist probably has reason to be pessimistic of your chances of approval.
You can put in an GP application and then when it is refused there is an appeal process which does require a consultant to explain why there is no suitable alternative for your condition.
Even if you are approved it may not be possible to acquire the product at the price the HSE is willing to pay. This co-called 'scheme' is outside of the contract between pharmacists and the state and its complex administration means many pharmacies don't operate it at all or only do so on a limited basis.

Another problem with the "hardship scheme" is that the HSE are very slow to pay. I submitted a request for payment for HSE approved medicines that I dispensed in July and I have not been paid yet. The cost price of the meds was 835.79 euros + €5 fee. The patient was end of life and the local office issued approval but the central office refuse to recognise the local approval.

Mrs OBumble

Ramon1000 wrote: »

Hi.
I spoke with my pharmacist about getting a medicine Ireland that I normally get back home and is covered under my insurance, but it doesn't appeared to be covered by the GMS scheme in Ireland.
She said I can fill out a form and apply under the "hard ship scheme"?

If Ireland isn't your home, then why are you expecting the Irish government to subsidise your medication?

I'd have expected that you'd need to pay full price for the item, and claim in back from your home insurance (if they cover you for medications while abroad).

Or am I missing something about these schemes???

Ramon1000

My GP here is extremely reluctant to prescribe meds not licensed in Ireland - despite being used globally, outside of Ireland.

Is that common practice?

Edups

Ramon1000 wrote: »

My GP here is extremely reluctant to prescribe meds not licensed in Ireland - despite being used globally, outside of Ireland.

Is that common practice?

Yes.

palmcut

Ramon1000 wrote: »

My GP here is extremely reluctant to prescribe meds not licensed in Ireland - despite being used globally, outside of Ireland.

Is that common practice?

Yes. By prescribing an unlicensed medicine the prescriber is taking complete responsibility for the medicine. In such a case the manufacturer and the dispenser would have no liability if anything bad happened; the total iaibility would rest on the shoulders of the prescriber.