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Type 1: Prescription fine

Seriously_Sax1989 said:
How long does an exemption card take to arrive? I sent my form off a week before Xmas and it's still not arrived. I understand this is a busy time of year but should it have arrived by now?
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Yes it should... Chase them up..
 
Move too Scotland free perscriptions for all!!!! Lol.seriously though is there a cure?.
 
When I picked up my Insulin from the Hospital pharmacy at St Thomas', I was asked if I had an exemption certificate. I produced it and the details were duly noted by the person on duty. First time in about 3 years that I've been asked!
 
tim2000s said:
When I picked up my Insulin from the Hospital pharmacy at St Thomas', I was asked if I had an exemption certificate. I produced it and the details were duly noted by the person on duty. First time in about 3 years that I've been asked!
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Wow. It really sounds like there is a countrywide crackdown in progress.
Maybe fraudsters got wise to the fact they could just tick the MEDEX box and never pay.
 
@Spiker, Given that 80% of all Prescriptions weren't being paid for, I'd suggest that is extremely likely.

I was looking at the NHSBSA website and there is a vast amount of data about prescription costs, for example, in September 2014, the NHS spent £25mn on Insulin alone in England.We know that there are roughly 390,000 insulin dependent diabetics in the England, so it works out at £64 per diabetic per month just for prescribed insulin.

September 2014 data also shows that £13.9mn was spent on testing strips, so roughly £30 per Insulin Dependent Diabetic per month (and based on NHS prices for test strips, 2 boxes of 50 per month). What's also interesting is that the most popular Blood test strip by quantity prescribed is the Accucheck Aviva strip.
 
I'm not surprised that 80% aren't paid for.
You get free prescritions

  • are 60 or over
  • are under 16
  • are 16-18 and in full-time education
  • are pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months and have a valid maternity exemption certificate (MatEx)
  • have a specified medical condition and have a valid medical exemption certificate (MedEx)
  • have a continuing physical disability that prevents you from going out without help from another person and have a valid MedEx
  • hold a valid war pension exemption certificate and the prescription is for your accepted disability
  • are an NHS inpatient
plus other exemptions for low income and some medical conditions. Contraception is also free.
Those that pay aren't aren't likely to need a lot of medication,
Until I developed diabetes, I rarely saw a doctor .I actually can only remember one prescription for some antibiotics and during pregnancy some iron tablets and injections ( diabetes changed all that and I hate the fact that my life became medicalised with frequent appointments and tests)
On the other hand my elderly father has a huge list of medications each day, my mother was the same.. Many of us live quite long lives due to the health provision available but it becomes increasingly expensive to keep us alive.
 
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tim2000s said:
@Spiker, Given that 80% of all Prescriptions weren't being paid for, I'd suggest that is extremely likely.

I was looking at the NHSBSA website and there is a vast amount of data about prescription costs, for example, in September 2014, the NHS spent £25mn on Insulin alone in England.We know that there are roughly 390,000 insulin dependent diabetics in the England, so it works out at £64 per diabetic per month just for prescribed insulin.

September 2014 data also shows that £13.9mn was spent on testing strips, so roughly £30 per Insulin Dependent Diabetic per month (and based on NHS prices for test strips, 2 boxes of 50 per month). What's also interesting is that the most popular Blood test strip by quantity prescribed is the Accucheck Aviva strip.
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Of course, the pharmaceutical companies can charge the NHS as much as they like for their products, no matter how cheap it is to make them, but it is the consumers ( us) that take all the criticism.
 
Pipp said:
Of course, the pharmaceutical companies can charge the NHS as much as they like for their products, no matter how cheap it is to make them, but it is the consumers ( us) that take all the criticism.
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Not really. If NICE don't think the price/performance of a new drug or treatment is warranted, they won't approve it. There is no one forcing NICE to approve Tresiba, or Humalog, or Lantus, or Novorapid.... etc. So NICE has a veto, to keep prices reasonable. Assuming there is no price fixing cartel between suppliers of similar products. :-/

It is curious how similar the pricing of strips is between all the different manufacturers. A few stand out as cheaper but the pricing in general is very closely grouped together.
 
Spiker said:
Not really. If NICE don't think the price/performance of a new drug or treatment is warranted, they won't approve it. There is no one forcing NICE to approve Tresiba, or Humalog, or Lantus, or Novorapid.... etc. So NICE has a veto, to keep prices reasonable. Assuming there is no price fixing cartel between suppliers of similar products. :-/

It is curious how similar the pricing of strips is between all the different manufacturers. A few stand out as cheaper but the pricing in general is very closely grouped together.
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This, and look at the outcry when a drug that costs thousands and will benefit only a very few people with a few months extra life expectancy, is declined by NICE. It's nothing to do with the consumer... Honest!

I've no doubt that the manufacturers of strips would argue that they are all doing similar things in similar ways so that the costs become similar, however.... The similarity in price is remarkable...
 
Pipp said:
Of course, the pharmaceutical companies can charge the NHS as much as they like for their products, no matter how cheap it is to make them, but it is the consumers ( us) that take all the criticism.
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actually, I'm not sure that it is completely true . The companies do have to negotiate and as a result national health care systems pay much less than in the US where the free market prevails.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/us/the-soaring-cost-of-a-simple-breath.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Do agree though the similarity in cost of strips is undeniably real . I also find it strange that they have been able to negotiate quite a high price for meters in France when they seem most often to come free in the UK.
 
Spiker said:
Not really. If NICE don't think the price/performance of a new drug or treatment is warranted, they won't approve it. There is no one forcing NICE to approve Tresiba, or Humalog, or Lantus, or Novorapid.... etc. So NICE has a veto, to keep prices reasonable. Assuming there is no price fixing cartel between suppliers of similar products. :-/

It is curious how similar the pricing of strips is between all the different manufacturers. A few stand out as cheaper but the pricing in general is very closely grouped together.
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NICE aren't squeaky clean, we all know that.. The majority of the persons approving the drugs have an interest of some sort in statin drugs.. So why not diabetic drugs???
 
Hi all,

Just a quick update on my case, it is still locked whilst the situation with ‘lifelong’ Medical Exemption Certificates is investigated. At this stage though the BSA are not budging and provided me with a very long email to indicate that they could see my point of view but they have no ability to change the fine. There is no appeal process because:

"The NHSBSA acts on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health to administer exemption schemes in line with The National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2000 (as amended) and, as such, has no authority to exercise discretion in waiving prescription costs; therefore there is no appeal process."

I doubt I will get anywhere but I would say it is worth appealing, it seems they are aware that what they are doing may be considered harsh.

Next step is to send a letter to my MP, which I will do now that the BSA have so far rejected my appeals.
 
Jimski said:
Hi all,

Just a quick update on my case, it is still locked whilst the situation with ‘lifelong’ Medical Exemption Certificates is investigated. At this stage though the BSA are not budging and provided me with a very long email to indicate that they could see my point of view but they have no ability to change the fine. There is no appeal process because:

"The NHSBSA acts on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health to administer exemption schemes in line with The National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2000 (as amended) and, as such, has no authority to exercise discretion in waiving prescription costs; therefore there is no appeal process."

I doubt I will get anywhere but I would say it is worth appealing, it seems they are aware that what they are doing may be considered harsh.

Next step is to send a letter to my MP, which I will do now that the BSA have so far rejected my appeals.
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Why not copy the letter to the Secretary of State for Health, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP? If the NHSBSA are acting on his behalf, yet they have no authority to exercise discretion, then as top man he should have the discretion to do so.

Worth a try.
 
Jimski said:
Hi all,

Just a quick update on my case, it is still locked whilst the situation with ‘lifelong’ Medical Exemption Certificates is investigated. At this stage though the BSA are not budging and provided me with a very long email to indicate that they could see my point of view but they have no ability to change the fine. There is no appeal process because:

"The NHSBSA acts on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health to administer exemption schemes in line with The National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2000 (as amended) and, as such, has no authority to exercise discretion in waiving prescription costs; therefore there is no appeal process."

I doubt I will get anywhere but I would say it is worth appealing, it seems they are aware that what they are doing may be considered harsh.

Next step is to send a letter to my MP, which I will do now that the BSA have so far rejected my appeals.
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Worth looking at the regulations mentioned in more detail.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2000/122/made

Could be wrong (not a lawyer) but from a quick read a key phrase is "completes a declaration of entitlement to such exemption and provides such evidence of entitlement as the Health Authority or NHS trust or other person may reasonably require"

Could claim that it is not reasonable for them to require the evidence of the entitlement for a life-long condition to be the holding of a valid certificate?

Could be a good test case?!

-- Dan Evans
 
Thanks Pip and Dan. I think I will do as you suggest and use both your responses to draft a letter.

I have a suspicion that I might never hear from them again though, and it may just go quiet.

Will let you know how I get on.
 
I collected a prescription today. Noticed that the surgery and pharmacy now have posters and leaflets advising on exemption from prescription charges. I took my exemption card to the pharmacy with the prescription form, and for the first time ever the assistant wrote my card number on the prescription form.
 
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