Soldato
Does anybody know why they are available as an option and what really are the reasons for having them as opposed to pre payment certificates etc?
Medical exemption certificates
- Thread starter ethan
- Start date
Caporegime
Search engines are a wonderful tool of the internet.
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/exemption-certificates/medical-exemption-certificates
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/exemption-certificates/medical-exemption-certificates
I asked why they are available and what that difference would be as opposed to having a prepayment certificate? Not what are they for.
I'm trying to understand what it is about the medical conditions for having an exemption that makes them any different than any other condition.
It's still very much a thing
Soldato
A pre payment certificate, the patient still pays for. It just a more convenient way of paying when you have a lot of prescriptions per year, and over a certain number, is cheaper.
Medical exemption certificates mean you do not, as the patient, have to pay anything at all, either for all prescriptions, or for certain drugs.
Soldato
Aren't the exemption certificates for life long chronic illnesses which require medication basically for ever whilst the pre-payment certificates just allow you to reduce your cost by paying a set amount up front?
Disclaimer, I have the former which means I pay nothing for any of my medication but it will get re-evaluated if I qualify for it every few years (I don't have it in from of me but I think its 2-3 years).
Disclaimer, I have the former which means I pay nothing for any of my medication but it will get re-evaluated if I qualify for it every few years (I don't have it in from of me but I think its 2-3 years).
yep but the list of illnesses hasn’t been updated in many many years, hence the old medically terminology on them
Soldato
As a type 2 diabetic, I am exempt. (In England) and I have a little card. It runs for 5 years and I think my expires next year. Because I rely on lots of repeat medications (trust me, wish I didn’t!) it means I don’t have to pay. I believe prescriptions in Scotland are free, not sure about Wales and NI.
It's interesting insofar as the qualifying categories are limited. If you meet the criteria, the exemption will cover every medical condition. Presumably if you meet the category of having to rely on somebody else to get out, it wouldn't matter what disease you suffered from, you would still be entitled. It is "all encompassing" in this respect. I had been wondering if I could use this as a means to illustrate the severity of a person's condition I'm representing with their Pip claim.
Last edited:
Soldato
I believe the exception certificate is called a HC1, where the state pays for you. A HC3 is where you pay the first £100 or £110 IIRC and then the state pays the rest. I think I had a HC1 once when I was on jobseekers, and it had to be a specific kind of jobseekers allowance but I can't remember what it was. It lasted for 6 months.
It's easiest just to get a pre-paid certificate imo. Costs about £105 for a year. Even if you only collected 1 repeat prescription, that's still 13 months x £9 which is £117, so the £105 still works out cheaper. Obviously it becomes more handy when you're collecting multiple repeat precriptions.
It's easiest just to get a pre-paid certificate imo. Costs about £105 for a year. Even if you only collected 1 repeat prescription, that's still 13 months x £9 which is £117, so the £105 still works out cheaper. Obviously it becomes more handy when you're collecting multiple repeat precriptions.
I still think the exemption certificates need an overhaul - maybe just get rid of them and make the drugs that they cover free at issue.
I take thyroxine - because of this I get a 5yrs certificate that I simply renew every 5yrs, which gives me any and all prescriptions for free.
I take thyroxine - because of this I get a 5yrs certificate that I simply renew every 5yrs, which gives me any and all prescriptions for free.
not really representative of how ill someone is, just an archaic benefit
No, it doesn't represent severity.
If you were hypothyroid and needed just a single thyroxine tablet every day, otherwise 100%, you would still be eligible for an exemption certificate.
True. But if you met the criteria of needing to be accompanied it might. I can't imagine the same restrictions applying to the Thyroxine
Man of Honour
I'm exempt twice now - Diabetes and being over 60.
Soldato
Basic rule of thumb...any medical condition that that has a deficiency, epilepsy and cancer. Lack of thyroxine in hypothyroidism, insulin/diabetes etc. Nothing to with age (over 60s get free prescriptions in England anyway), severity, disability.