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Prescription and OTC meds

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I'm curious. And whats a better place to ask a question than from the source. Everybody says, UK, Canada, free healthcare, yay. Is it completly free?

Is there any cost for doctors visits?

Cost for ER visits?

Cost for prescriptions? Generic/Brand name?

Cost for OTC meds?

Just if anybody is curious, with my new insurance, I pay about $40 a month and I pay about $120 in medications a month. I take my fast acting inhaler, 1 once daily asthma medicine, birth control and 1 anti depresent a day. I would pay $170 a month, but I quit my allergy medicines. Its $15 for a generic, $30 for a "formulary" which pretty much means its a brand name med but comes in, or will soon come in a generic form, or $50 for a "non formulary" doesn't come in a generic and probalby won't med.

It also costs me $20 per doctors visit. $40 for a visit to a specalist. (aka, dermatologist, fucking gyno even!) and 20% for an ER visit.

I used to be under my parents insurance which was, absoulty everything medical included, we paid full price up to $2400, then every single thing was free after that, meds, surgeries, everythin.

Also, a thing I've noticed, its probalby just a few people here, but from what I've read, it takes ages to get into some place. I've never had more than a 24 hour wait to get into a doctor (unless its some doctor that only works on wednesdays or something) How is it really there?



How about dental? Is that free? How does that work for you? I pay $10 a month for dental insurane. That gives me 2 cleaning, 2 xrays and 2 florides a year for free, plus the $25 a visit to pay, and it covers 50% on crowns, dentures and 80% on preventavie procedures. My parents had a certian amount taken out of each paycheck to cover dental.

I'm sure no one is interested in what I paid for dental or health, but I'm curious for you. Is everything free? Tbh, yeah, we have education. I don't know anything about your medical or anything and I want to ask.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    a+e = er and yes here it is free
    what are otc meds?
    prescriptions you have to pay for in the uk unless you are unemployed and then the state pays
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    otc = over the counter
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    OTC= over the counter meds. I guess like pharmecutical?? My best guess is Claritin, I think I've read it has the same name here. Pretty much medicines that you dont' get with a precription.

    What do you pay for prescription meds?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sofie wrote:
    otc = over the counter
    yes. you pay for them
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    otter wrote:
    prescriptions you have to pay for in the uk unless you are unemployed and then the state pays

    I think there are other reasons as well; my dad has a card which entitles him to free prescriptions. (probably because he's on something for the rest of his life or something like that)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    thing is though. it is not really free since you pay about a1/3 of your wages in tax and NI contributions which fund your so called 'free healthcare'
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sofie wrote:
    I think there are other reasons as well; my dad has a card which entitles him to free prescriptions. (probably because he's on something for the rest of his life or something like that)
    there probably are - children get free prescriptions too
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    otter wrote:
    yes. you pay for them


    How much do you have to pay for them? My mom (being on the insurance I stated, paying full right now) just paid $110 for an anti depresent (sorry, I don't know the name) I paid $43 for a concrapative, how much for things is it there? I'm sorry if I'm getting too personal.



    ETA. Oh trust me, I make only $20k a year and get taxed about 15% my income. If not more. I'll have to calculate it out later. How much do you get taxed? My poor boyfiend gets 1/3 of his wages taken away each paycheck.

    I'm not saying its unfiar (incase geroge is waching :p) just askingn.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    my_name wrote:
    How much do you have to pay for them? My mom (being on the insurance I stated, paying full right now) just paid $110 for an anti depresent (sorry, I don't know the name) I paid $43 for a concrapative, how much for things is it there?
    depends on the drug you are buying. some drugs like antidepressants you cannot buy at a chemist without a prescription from a gp
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    otter wrote:
    depends on the drug you are buying. some drugs like antidepressants you cannot buy at a chemist without a prescription from a gp


    Thats why I asked how much a prescription is...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    off hand, i'm not sure... its a while since i've had a prescription for anything...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Haven't had one for a while but last time it was about £6 (for a prescription)...

    ETA: My ole dear pays for a pre-pay prescription card coz she gets loads and it works out cheaper that way- but I don't know what she pays for that...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    A prescription here costs £6.65, regardless of what it is. It's a contribution rather than an actual cost. If they are long term medicaments then you usually get three months worth for that.

    Contraceptives are free.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    my_name wrote:
    Also, a thing I've noticed, its probalby just a few people here, but from what I've read, it takes ages to get into some place. I've never had more than a 24 hour wait to get into a doctor (unless its some doctor that only works on wednesdays or something) How is it really there?

    Pot luck.

    With GPs, you can generally get in within a week. At mine, you can always get in the same day if you really need to, but it's almost always with the woman who puts absolutely everything down to stress, or tells you to 'come back in a week if it's not better', which is of absolutely no help. The good docs are usually the busiest, and I generally have a few days wait if I want to see my favourite in the practice.

    With specialists, you can't just go, you need to be referred by your GP, and you'll be put on a waiting list according to how urgent they think you are. It's it's life or death, you'll be seen quickly. It it's not, you'll wait a while. The shortest wait I've had (Opthamology) was 5 weeks, the longest (ENT) was 18 months. Although I was quoted a 2 year wait for wisdom tooth surgery on the NHS. :thumb:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    yup 6.65 a prescription which doesnt work my way at the minute :grump:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    A prescription here costs £6.65, regardless of what it is. It's a contribution rather than an actual cost. If they are long term medicaments then you usually get three months worth for that.

    Contraceptives are free.


    Wow. :heart:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Is there any cost for doctors visits? No

    Cost for ER visits? No, though you may have to wait a while

    Cost for prescriptions? Generic/Brand name? You get what you are given, sometimes its generic, sometimes not, its all £6.65 per item

    Cost for OTC meds? Painkillers here come in tiny boxes of 24, so they are considerably more expensive than in the US, where I normally stock up with a bottle of 1000. Cough mixture is also quite a lot cheaper in the US too.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Although saying that a packet of 24 asprin is about 20p.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Although saying that a packet of 24 asprin is about 20p.

    Last time I was in the US I bought 1000 ibruprofen for $7.
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