IvyMorgan
Posts: 729
Joined: 7/5/2007 From: Midlands, UK Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: monywildcat It pisses me off to see the pharmaceutical rep at the doctor's office, and to use a $20 pen that has Cymbalta on it, and check the time on the Prozac clock. No wonder meds are so damn expensive, its all the pharmaceutical swag that is driving up costs. All the clocks on the accute ward I was on were nicely provided by Zyprexa. (Good word for scrabble, not much good for anything else, vile drug). Cynic that I am, I noticed that most of the patients were on it too. Olanzpaine and Quetapine seeming to be drugs of choice. I can't escape Cymblata stationery though, I think I might have some at home as well. As far as paying for drugs goes, I make it my mission in life to get free prescriptions. I have 8 regular scripts a month (plus bonus ones, like the three I picked up this week, just for kicks) and work a minimum wage job part time (health reasons - I spent upwards of 6 hours per day in a clinic). I can't afford to buy my drugs (even at NHS prices of £7.10 per script). I could get a pre pay certificate, but... the government will get my drugs for me, I just have to keep figuring out which reason why. (If they weren't free it would be £56.8*/month or ~$113) At the moment, I'm category "M" - NHS tax exemption certificate. (people who work and qualify for working tax credit) When I was a student, I was "Has a valid HC2 certificate" (person on low income/no income) After I was a student, but before I was working, I was "claims income support". (not working, not job seeking, not claiming sick pay or incapacity benefit) I have also been; "Claims job seekers allowance" when I did that for all of a fortnight between contracts. (It's all about the free drugs, remember.) Category "X" - has been prescribed free contraceptives. (My personal favourite here is, my GP will charge me £100 for three shots, no blood test, the hospital will give me the three shots and the blood test free... same treatment, the GP is doing it for travel, the hospital for contraception, I wonder at the NHS sometimes.) "Under 16" "18 or under and in full time education" (yes, I did got to the pharmacy the day before my 19th birthday to stock up) In fact, I think the only possible reasons for claiming I've not used are the ones about being old, being a widow, or being a veteran. Technically, I might have qualifying medical conditions to get free scripts, I've just not had to use that as an excuse/reason yet. I am relativly confident that most people in England, who need regular prescriptions, wouldn't have to pay if they could find the right hoop to jump through. Sadly, the government make finding the right hoop hard. In Wales, on the other hand, you get free scripts up to age 45 and from age 50. They're thinking of extending this. It would be so much simpler to live in Wales. (And as far as opting out of meds goes... not really an option, they all do *something* useful, even if it's just lower my prolactin levels.)
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