# Drug Payment Scheme - Charged more than €144 for prescripton in 1 month



## Blinder (30 Jan 2016)

Hi
Have a prescription for medication which is 6x28 days .
Picked it up in pharmacy on the 2nd January, charged €127 .
Picked up again today ( 28 days later) in same pharmacy and was again changed €127 

Since it's still January, I would have thought it would cost €17 .

Queried it with pharmacy and they said that it didn't count as one month.

Anyone come across this before? Did you claim a refund from the HSE?


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## Leper (30 Jan 2016)

Hi Blinder, I have come across this before and the pharmacist is acting correctly. But, if you can qualify for a medical card you can buy as much medication as you wish and free of charge, stack them up, use 'em later or even sell to some non medical card holder.


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## huskerdu (30 Jan 2016)

The reason that the Pharmacist is obliged to charge you, under the terms on the scheme, is that you are collecting Februarys drugs.

You only get a refund if the costs of each months supply of drugs is over €144. In your case, that is not true.
Don't forget, if you are tax payer, you can claim tax back on these costs, so keep the receipts.


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## Meath Lady (30 Jan 2016)

I usually ask my doctor to write my prescription for 30 days, as otherwise you need 13 scripts in a year. Some chemists give one script a year free  in this instance or so I am led to believe.


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## huskerdu (30 Jan 2016)

Not some chemists, all chemists.

Some medications come in packets of 7 or 28 tablets that are difficult to split. I am on a medication that I only take once a week, so I can't get a 30 day prescription. Either way, it doesn't matter, it your medication cost more than €144 a month, they cannot charge you €144 13 times, even if they dispense it in 28 day packets.

In my case, the chemist gives me 5 weeks medication some times, but if I want a full months tablets on the 28th of the month, I get them but I pay for the next months fee.


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## inaquandert (30 Jan 2016)

My chemist gives me extra which is great so that I never have to go for tablets 'till the next month.


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## DirectDevil (15 Mar 2016)

Is there no provision under this scheme for the fact that some people will have 13 prescriptions of medications dispensed every four weeks as distinct from 12 by one calendar month ?


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## huskerdu (16 Mar 2016)

DirectDevil said:


> Is there no provision under this scheme for the fact that some people will have 13 prescriptions of medications dispensed every four weeks as distinct from 12 by one calendar month ?



I have to pick up my medication in weekly doses, so this happens me every year.

Yes, you only have to pay 144 12 times in every year. How this is managed, may depend on the drug and the pharmacist.

Ask your pharmacist can they dispense 5 weeks every so often, or , if they cant ensure that they don't charge you 13 times.


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## browtal (8 Mar 2018)

Many chemists take 13 payments instead of 12 each year.

 It would solve this long standing problem if doctors make out prescriptions for 30 days.  That would mean you would get medication for 360 days. 
Paying for 28 days prescription means you* make 13 payments* instead of the statutory 12.
This should be addressed by the HSE. it is long outstanding.


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