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would you go on medication just to get free prescriptions?

gally

gally

Well-Known Member
Messages
76
Location
littleborough lancs
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi visited my dn today for my results and my 12 monthly check up she was very pleased with blood test results no change from last year good weight loss etc she then asked me if i paid for my prescriptions to which i replied that i did she then went on to ask me if i wanted to go on meds even though i dont need them just to get free prescriptions what are your thoughts on this ? would i benefit by taking them or am i better off doing without them for as long as i can :!:
 
Re: would you go on medication just to get free prescription

If I was asked this question I would personally answer "No".
 
Re: would you go on medication just to get free prescription

I would.

Metformin, low dose that you don't actually ever need to take if you're good on diet alone.

No downside to being prescribed it, doesn't affect insurance any more than being diabetic does, doesn't need notifying to the dvla, upside is your other meds are free.
 
Re: would you go on medication just to get free prescription

Thanks for your replies it was more the travel insurance that i was worried about to be honest i love my holidays abroad and was worried that it might bump up my premiums somewhat i am due to go away for xmas and didnt know whether i might have to notify them or not i told her i would think about it after xmas but i always thought i would be better without meds thanks again
 
Re: would you go on medication just to get free prescription

gally said:
Thanks for your replies it was more the travel insurance that i was worried about to be honest i love my holidays abroad and was worried that it might bump up my premiums somewhat i am due to go away for xmas and didnt know whether i might have to notify them or not i told her i would think about it after xmas but i always thought i would be better without meds thanks again
Click to expand...

Have you been diagnosed as diabetic?
If you have you need to inform your insurers, even if it is controlled by diet alone, and also even if it is mid term on an annual policy.
If you have the holiday booked at christmas are your insurers aware for this holiday?
 
Re: would you go on medication just to get free prescription

I am on 18 prescription drugs so I may be tempted. However if a medical condition is known and not declared the whole insurance policy could be invalidated resulting in no claims being honoured no matter what the claim is for.
 
Re: would you go on medication just to get free prescription

When you get free prescriptions because you have diabetes and take tablets/insulin for it, any other prescription for anything else is free, not just your diabetes meds.

I have lots of items on my prescription, all of it is covered by my exemption certificate.

Metformin has other benefits especially for your heart, so a 500 mg tablet once a day wouldn't do much for your blood sugar, would get you free prescriptions and maybe help you in other ways.

I have a holiday insurance policy with my bank. Type 2 is one of the conditions you have to declare whether you are taking anything for it or not. I have to renew my declaration once a year. If you have insurance like this, the insurers have no idea when you actually booked the holiday.
 
Re: would you go on medication just to get free prescription

))Denise(( said:
When you get free prescriptions because you have diabetes and take tablets/insulin for it, any other prescription for anything else is free, not just your diabetes meds.

I have lots of items on my prescription, all of it is covered by my exemption certificate.

Metformin has other benefits especially for your heart, so a 500 mg tablet once a day wouldn't do much for your blood sugar, would get you free prescriptions and maybe help you in other ways.

I have a holiday insurance policy with my bank. Type 2 is one of the conditions you have to declare whether you are taking anything for it or not. I have to renew my declaration once a year. If you have insurance like this, the insurers have no idea when you actually booked the holiday.
Click to expand...

But a change in your health is something you usually need to declare, even mid term. Check the t&c's of your policy.
 
Re: would you go on medication just to get free prescription

gally said:
Hi visited my dn today for my results and my 12 monthly check up she was very pleased with blood test results no change from last year good weight loss etc she then asked me if i paid for my prescriptions to which i replied that i did she then went on to ask me if i wanted to go on meds even though i dont need them just to get free prescriptions what are your thoughts on this ? would i benefit by taking them or am i better off doing without them for as long as i can :!:
Click to expand...

I hope I understand what you mean.

You are a diabetic, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and now you are deciding whether to include a prescription for Metformin to enable you to get free prescriptions. (Losartan for BP and Simvastatin for cholesterol).

That means that you have three existing medical conditions. Are your travel insurance aware of any of them because if they are not then your insurance is null and void. Heaven forbid that you require hospitalisation whilst on holiday, which may involve being put on a sliding scale of insulin, because you will be paying for it yourself. Would you also admit to the other conditions that require medication whilst you were in hospital?

If you are going to fill the prescription for Metformin but not take it then IMHO you are taking money from the NHS. It may only be a small amount but my conscience would not allow me to do this.

I hope I have understood your post and the replies by other posters. Please let me know if I have not got it right.
 
Re: would you go on medication just to get free prescription

gally said:
Hi visited my dn today for my results and my 12 monthly check up she was very pleased with blood test results no change from last year good weight loss etc she then asked me if i paid for my prescriptions to which i replied that i did she then went on to ask me if i wanted to go on meds even though i dont need them just to get free prescriptions what are your thoughts on this ? would i benefit by taking them or am i better off doing without them for as long as i can :!:
Click to expand...
I would not go on a med purely to get free prescriptions, BUT if that med would do me some good then I would consider it for clinical reasons.
OR
If I were a woman being considered for metformin for PCOS, and was borderline D I would let my GP put me on met for D
same drug, different med classification.
 
Re: would you go on medication just to get free prescription

Hi and thanks again for your replies yes i have been diagnosed with type two on diet and exercise only also on simvastatin and losartan yes my insurers do know of all my conditions i have paid for a yearly travel insurance premium about 4 months ago but was not sure that if i did decide to go on the meds for diabetes before i go away at christmas would i have to phone them and tell them that i was on tabs and would it increase my premium my nurse says i dont need it but purley so i could get free prescriptions im so confused i thought that i wouldnt have to tell insurers because i bought the policy before i was offered the meds :?

Hi cathrine cherub yes you got it all right :D all conditions fully declared to insurance and and i totally agree about not ripping off the nhs i dont think i will be taking her up on her offer i dont have that many meds anyway and would prefer not to be on the metformin well at least not for a long time :thumbup:
 
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