# Shopping around long term Drugs



## irishmoss (15 Nov 2013)

I'm on long term medication and my local chemist was charging €120 per month. I rang around a few chemists and got it down to €91. I was in a different chemist yesterday collecting something for someone else and decided to ask for a price. He gave it to me for €78. Now that's some comparison to the first chemist !!
I was wondering though if I needed more drugs for the family do I have to use the same chemist for the drug refund scheme over €144? This would prevent me from shopping around if I can't


----------



## gipimann (15 Nov 2013)

You could use any pharmacy you want, but your total spend might exceed 144 euro over a month. You would have to claim the excess from the HSE.  If you use the same pharmacy you won't have to pay "up front" as it were.


----------



## irishmoss (15 Nov 2013)

Thanks, I've just looked up the HSE site and it says the following:
Refunds will be paid at the approved HSE Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) prices as reimbursed to pharmacies by the HSE.

So it would probably be impossible to buy the drugs at those prices so in reality forcing you to stick to one chemist


----------



## huskerdu (15 Nov 2013)

irishmoss said:


> Thanks, I've just looked up the HSE site and it says the following:
> Refunds will be paid at the approved HSE Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS) prices as reimbursed to pharmacies by the HSE.
> 
> So it would probably be impossible to buy the drugs at those prices so in reality forcing you to stick to one chemist


 
I am not sure what you mean by this last statement. Can you explain ?

You should, of course, buy in the cheapest pharmacist.  Ask if this price is the DSP reference price. 

If you need to buy something else in the same month which will bring you up to the limit, ask your pharmacist to quote you the DPS reference price.

Therefore, if you go above the limit, you know you will be reimbursed, even if you buy in two different pharamcists.


----------



## irishmoss (16 Nov 2013)

Hi Huskerdu
How do you prove to the chemist you are availing of the Drug Refund Scheme? Will they not just offer the second drug at the full retail price because you are not buying all your drugs with them? 

Are there actually any chemists offering the drugs listed on the DSP at those prices to the public who don't reach the 144 euros a month?


----------

