The Student Room Group

do you think this is reasonable?

i am being treated for hair loss and have been put on dianette (the pill) and cyproterone (anti male drug).

i have just receiced a reply from the HC1 form that i sent off about two weeks ago. and it siad that i will not get any help with prescription charges.

i am a student living on a loan at home.

can i ask your opinion on wheater it is resonable to make me pay for these.

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Reply 1
hams

can i ask your opinion on wheater it is resonable to make me pay for these.


this undoubtedly sounds harsh when it's you who's not getting what they want.. but, if you sent all the paperwork off then presumably you're just not eligible to have prescription charges paid for you?

there has to be a cut off point somewhere? (although i thought it was ~£5,000 per year income? which surely you'd have under if all you have is a loan.. :confused: )

so i think it's entirely reasonable that people determined by means testing to be able to should pay prescription charges. which are only nominal, as far as i know! & may go someway to subsidising the charges for those with certain chronic conditions, contraception etc.

but.. surely these will only work out at ~£10 every 6months or something? the pill, certainly is normally prescribed in 6month packs & you pay per presecription, not quantity, AFAIK. :smile:
Reply 2
hams
i am being treated for hair loss and have been put on dianette (the pill) and cyproterone (anti male drug).

i have just receiced a reply from the HC1 form that i sent off about two weeks ago. and it siad that i will not get any help with prescription charges.

i am a student living on a loan at home.

can i ask your opinion on wheater it is resonable to make me pay for these.


Well, I think everyone on full-time education should get free prescriptions. Unfortunately it just doesn't work like that. It's the same for all of us - after the age of 18 you don't get free medication just because you're a student.
Reply 3
i live at home and get a student loan (its only £1400 and barely covers my course fees) but i have to pay for all my asthma drugs. seems perfectly reasonable you pay for something that isnt potentially life threatening if i have to pay for something that could be.
Reply 4
technik
i live at home and get a student loan (its only £1400 and barely covers my course fees) but i have to pay for all my asthma drugs. seems perfectly reasonable you pay for something that isnt potentially life threatening if i have to pay for something that could be.


its not that i didnt find it unreasonable its just that i thought students would automatically get free prescriptions.

my brother says he gets them free nad he works so i assuemed that i would to being a student.
Reply 5
hams
its not that i didnt find it unreasonable its just that i thought students would automatically get free prescriptions.

my brother says he gets them free nad he works so i assuemed that i would to being a student.


nope, as you turn 19, you have to pay, whether youre a student or not.
I thought everyone gets contraception free regardless? I remember taking my prescription for the pill to the chemist, and she told me that it's free even if you're over 19/not named on a HC1. My injection was always free as well.
Reply 7
contreception is free to everyone
Also, if it's something you're going to be using often, ask your doctor if he will give you a larger amount of it on each presciption - that's what my doctor does with things I use a lot, cos it's less paperwork for them, and less walks to the chemist for me.
Reply 9
hams
i am being treated for hair loss and have been put on dianette (the pill) and cyproterone (anti male drug).

i have just receiced a reply from the HC1 form that i sent off about two weeks ago. and it siad that i will not get any help with prescription charges.

i am a student living on a loan at home.

can i ask your opinion on wheater it is resonable to make me pay for these.

Yes. Prescription charges are not desperatly dear. And as for dianette-because its not meant to be prescribed as a contraception anymore, chemists are meant to charge for it, even if it is being used as a contraception.
Reply 10
Did you put what medicine you take in the "other info" box?

And have you looked into getting a prepaid season ticket? If you get over 2 prescriptions a month it's cheaper.
hams
i am being treated for hair loss and have been put on dianette (the pill) and cyproterone (anti male drug).

i have just receiced a reply from the HC1 form that i sent off about two weeks ago. and it siad that i will not get any help with prescription charges.

i am a student living on a loan at home.

can i ask your opinion on wheater it is resonable to make me pay for these.


it seems unfair that you dont get ANY help, but it depends on what your loan is and how much your parents give you. i too am at home with a full loan and only get part help

if u get a pre-payment certificate for the 2 drugs, should help cheapen it. also u can get the Pill for free
Reply 12
lessthanthree
did they tell you which criteria you fell down on?


no they didnt
Reply 13
How much is it costing you? I think it's reasonable to expect to pay for something that you only need for the sake of aesthetics. Have you tried anything else for your hair loss? Just get a transplant in a decade when you have money.
educational exemption ends after 19.
Reply 15
Its completely unfair. I have the luck to not need any medication for long periods at a time but some students need it too live. Now Students are poor enough as it is. Grrrr. Dam NHS, dam Labour and dam the NUS for letting it happen. I vote to overthrow the government.
Reply 16
SciFi25
...but some students need it too live. Now Students are poor enough as it is. Grrrr. Dam NHS, dam Labour and dam the NUS for letting it happen..


but if students are that poor, then they'll be eligible under the HC1 form to have their prescriptions paid for them.. :rolleyes:

& certain chronic conditions/contraception etc. no one pays for anyway-so begrudging £7 or so (which is only a nominal charge anyway) if you're liable to pay for it seems a little selfish to me.. :p:
Reply 17
Elles
but if students are that poor, then they'll be eligible under the HC1 form to have their prescriptions paid for them.. :rolleyes:


I just want to overthrow the government!! lol! It seems like fun! :biggrin:
Oooh, I just turned 19 the other day, and am applying for assistance with prescriptions. Does anyone get it? Is it worth me applying? I live away from home, have no income, all I have in my account is the student loan, a couple of grants and a scholarship.
Reply 19
LennonMcCartney
...I live away from home, have no income, all I have in my account is the student loan, a couple of grants and a scholarship.


ahem..you sound pretty rich compared to most students with loan alone, Lennon! :p:

presumably it says on the paperwork the criteria..i thought it was an income of £5,000 per year or something, but this is probably wrong..

SciFi25 - but then..once you've overthrown the government.. surely everything would just be a mess? :wink: