proposal Raising the age at which people have the right to receive free prescriptions has been called a “reckless” false economy by the charity coalition.
The Prescription Fee Coalition warns that the short-term benefits of getting people to pay for prescriptions for longer periods of time actually cost National Health Service In the long run, more money.
Ministers are considering proposals to raise the age at which people are entitled to free prescriptions.
Currently, people 60 years and older can get a prescription for free on the NHS in England.
But officials are consulting whether this age should be raised to align with the national pension age, which is currently 66 years old, and more growth is expected in the future.
The consultation ended on September 2, stating that people between 60 and 65 can continue to work and “be financially active and better able to pay for prescription drugs.”
But the coalition of more than 20 organizations representing multiple patient groups said that price increases are a “false economy.”
It added that these proposals may disproportionately affect those with degenerative health conditions, multiple health conditions, people with low life expectancy from different communities, and people living in areas where average wages are lower than other regions.
I feel that the government is punishing those who live for a long time
As a member of the alliance, Parkinson of the United Kingdom said that under the proposed changes, the proportion of patients suffering from degenerative diseases will rise from 14% to 25%.
It said that by raising the prescription exemption age to 66 instead of keeping it at 60, the NHS will spend an additional £8.5 million because only Parkinson’s patients can avoid hospitalization.
One patient said that living with Parkinson’s has already caused her to reduce working hours and paying longer prescription costs will be “difficult.”
Due to her Parkinson’s symptoms, including extreme fatigue, Dennis Price had to reduce her working hours from 37.5 hours per week to 15 hours.
This 59-year-old farm business administrator comes from Norfolk Said: “I always thought that I would work until I was 67 because I could work, but as Parkinson’s disease progressed, I was worried about whether my body could work.
“My employer understands very well and allows the flexibility to start late in the morning until I start taking medication, but I have had to reduce working hours by 60%. I have noticed the impact of this decline in income ability on our family.
“I have to pay for my prescription, which is eroding the less and less money I can contribute to the family bill.
“If they increase the age at which I get the exemption, it will be very difficult because we do not allow these additional costs to last for many years, and we may still have to pay for these additional costs.
“It feels like government Punish those who have a long-term disease again. Anyone can get this disease. There is no cure. “
Parkinson’s UK policy and activities leader and chairman of the Prescription Fees Alliance, Laura Kokram, told PA News Agency: “The proposal to increase the age at which people are exempt from prescription fees from 60 to 66 based on the national pension age is a reckless move.
“This will cause thousands of people with long-term health problems to encounter unnecessary difficulties in obtaining medicines, increase their risk of ill health, and may send them to hospitals.
“people People who suffer from chronic diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, asthma, and MS, who rely on medications every day should not pay for the government’s poor fiscal decisions.
“We recognize the tremendous efforts the NHS has made in response to the pandemic and want to protect future resources so that it can rebound, but this proposal may allow more people to pay for the drugs they can afford or the bills they can pay. Choose between.
“Far from saving NHS money, this proposal may cost more and cause lasting damage to the health of the country.”
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Social Care said: “Since 1974, the age at which British women and men receive free prescriptions has not changed, so we are negotiating to align the upper limit age for prescription exemptions with the national pension age.
“We continue to protect the most vulnerable groups and provide support to low-income earners and those enjoying certain benefits. In 2019, almost 90% of prescription drugs dispensed by communities in England are free, and certain medical conditions are compatible with pregnant women or new mothers. There are other exemptions.”
