Private presciptions and the medical card

I had to get my wisdom teeth removed and got a presciptioin for antibiotics from the dentist. I took it to the pharmacy and presented it along with my medical card but they said it was a private presciption and so I would have to pay the full price but suggested I could contact my GP and get them to write it but it wasn't that much money (€11.50) so I just ahead and paid it to save myself the hassle.

I'm curious as I haven't had a medical card very long and was thinking of going private on a certain medical matter with some money I have saved up that I don't want to wait in the public queue for, will any prescription resulting from that not be covered by the medical card? Would it be covered by the drugs payment scheme?

SourSessions

A lot of GP surgeries will have an email facility or a system to accept prescription requests and can also mail your pharmacy direct with it. If you go private, just submit your prescription and ask for a copy from them directly/sent down to the pharmacy.

Dempo1

NellyBellyJelly wrote: »

I had to get my wisdom teeth removed and got a presciptioin for antibiotics from the dentist. I took it to the pharmacy and presented it along with my medical card but they said it was a private presciption and so I would have to pay the full price but suggested I could contact my GP and get them to write it but it wasn't that much money (€11.50) so I just ahead and paid it to save myself the hassle.

I'm curious as I haven't had a medical card very long and was thinking of going private on a certain medical matter with some money I have saved up that I don't want to wait in the public queue for, will any prescription resulting from that not be covered by the medical card? Would it be covered by the drugs payment scheme?

This seems odd re dentists priscription charges. I have a full medical card due to a long term Thyroid diagnosis. Granted my GP has all my medical card details as does my local pharmacy. I did have a hospital priscription recently, presented it and certainly did not have to pay more than gov levy. I've also had priscriptions from dentist treatment and again only gov levy charges for priscriptions.

By default a dental procedure is private albeit cosmetic work could be questionable re prescription charges, a wisdom tooth removal is certainly not cosmetic and quite urgent. I'd certainly question those priscription charges. It's also curious how a pharmacy can determine what treatment you had, it's irrelevant as I'm assuming the priscription was for either pain killers or Antibiotics? Prescriptions would not normally detail the treatment you have unless I'm mistaken, I can only speak to my own experience of dental and hospital prescriptions and treatments I recieved, certainly not mentioned.

I can't be sure about private treatment you refer too but I'd certainly seek advice about any priscription charges if you hold a medical card regardless of were or how you get treatment.

L1011

If you waited to go public to hospitals you would normally need to get the public hospital prescription transcribed to medical card paperwork - or these days, re-sent by your GP via healthmail - anyway.

Dempo1

L1011 wrote: »

If you waited to go public to hospitals you would normally need to get the public hospital prescription transcribed to medical card paperwork - or these days, re-sent by your GP via healthmail - anyway.

I'm not aware of that process, I had an emergency leg surgery last summer, I've a full medical card, was issued with hospital priscription on discharge, presented to my local pharmacy (they would have my medical card details), no issues, no charges, just gov levy and thankful as lots of medicines required. On a side note, because of restrictions, I was one of those shipped to private hospital for the surgery.

ari101

I'm open to correction here, but I think the medical card scheme and dental prescription scheme are technically two separate schemes. If for some reason the pharmacy wasn't signed up to the dental scheme, it might not be covered because it was prescribed by a dentist not a medical doctor, rather than this being a private vs. public issue?

In order to write a prescription for medication on medical card, a dentist must have a GMS contract/panel number, most dentists do not participate in the medical card dental scheme. This is why your script was private and you couldn’t use your card.

Dempo1

ari101 wrote: »

I'm open to correction here, but I think the medical card scheme and dental prescription scheme are technically two separate schemes. If for some reason the pharmacy wasn't signed up to the dental scheme, it might not be covered because it was prescribed by a dentist not a medical doctor, rather than this being a private vs. public issue?

You maybe correct and I'm only just detailing my own experience, I can't say for sure if my pharmacy is signed up for what you suggest. I had a number of dental priscriptions last year and honestly was never queried by my pharmacy.

Dempo1

Dav010 wrote: »

In order to write a prescription for medication on medical card, a dentist must have a GMS contract/panel number, most dentists do not participate in the medical card dental scheme. This is why your script was private and you couldn’t use your card.

Actually, you've just explained something perfectly so apologies if I've added confusion. Yes, my dentist was apart of the medical card scheme so this would explain why I didn't have priscription charges, your also correct re few dentists participating, as it happens my dentist just informed me a month ago they have left the scheme, seems alot are.

So yes if dentist is treating you under the medical card scheme no priscription charges, if not, full priscription charges.

Thanks, hope this clarifies any confusion