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Diabetes,Prescription charges??

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  • 10-12-2009 4:10pm
    #1
    torres1982
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭


    Am I right in believing that I will now have to pay for each item on my monthly prescription inc. insulin,test strips etc. Can anyone help out with info if they may know more.

    Regards


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    #2
    FluffyCat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 340 ✭✭FluffyCat


    .


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    #3
    torres1982
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭torres1982


    Can you please explain how type 1 diabetes is the same or any way remotely the same as asthma.I was only looking to see if charges were applicable to diabetes and not your opinion on what is and what's not included on LTI book.


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    #4
    FluffyCat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 340 ✭✭FluffyCat


    .


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    #5
    nofi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 33 ✭nofi


    The 50 cent charge for each item applies for both medical card and LTI.
    Prescription charge of 50c per item
    The number of prescriptions under the GMS has increased in recent years from 12.79m in 2004 to 15.65 m in 2008. The number of items dispensed in the GMS has increased from 35m to 48.21m in the same period. To address the associated rising costs a 50 cent charge per item subject to a monthly ceiling of €10 per family is being introduced for the GMS and LTI scheme.


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    #6
    locum-motion
    Registered Users Posts: 5,143 ✭✭✭locum-motion


    FluffyCat wrote: »
    Well it depends really. If you are getting your meds on an LTI book its still free but if you get your meds on a GMS medical card scheme then its 50c per item.

    Sorry, FC, you're wrong. The plan is to apply the tax to both.
    FluffyCat wrote: »
    Keep in mind that there are talks to move diabetes to the DPS scheme which is 120 euro per month.

    Where did you hear that? Who's talking about it? I have to say I'd be totally shocked if they did that. I think that the above statement is likely to cause unnecessary worry to many patients, so please back it up.
    FluffyCat wrote: »
    Its said, and I have to agree, the if asthma is not covered on the LTI then why should diabetes. But thats a story for another day!

    It is said by whom?

    Most people look at that particular ridiculous situation and ask 'Why is Asthma NOT covered on the LTI?'
    You look at it and say 'Why IS diabetes covered?'
    Your priorities seem a little mixed up to me.


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    #7
    The_Conductor
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,285 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    We use both the DPS and also the LTI schemes in our house. Our local pharmacist has advised that to avoid the 50c per item charge for the diabetes medications (irc more test strips than anything else) that she'll put everything on the DPS scheme going forward. So we'll now pay the EUR120 a month from 1st Jan (up from the EUR100 a month thus far).

    The creep in the DPS scheme charges have been pretty horrendous- EUR120 a month is a sizeable lump of disposable income for most people these days. Before I got married there were months when I had to make a conscious decision whether to pay the mortgage or whether to get my meds. Its not a nice position to be in.


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    #8
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,098 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    Having both diabetes and asthma the GP just puts them all into the LTI book. Then I just pay for the asthma and other stuff, assuming the pharmacist notices to charge me which they sometime don't. I'm sure that 50cents per item, including diabetes items, would be cheaper for me than paying full whack on just the asthma and other items though.


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