NHS Prescription charges - penalty charge notice

[Stu47803]

I have received a letter saying that I have incorrectly claimed for a free prescription. I have type 1 diabetes and I have never had any issues in the past. Will I have to pay this charge? Apparently according to NHS there is no challenge that I can undertake.

 

This seems very harsh!!!!

[rebel11]

Hi Stu

 

Welcome to CAG

 

Could you provide further details? You have 1 Diabetes what precludes you from receiving this free prescription?

[Stu47803]

I have had type 1 diabetes since 1988. I have been told that my medical exemption certificate has expired (I did not know that this was the case I have not been sent any reminders and to my knowledge I have never renewed it since I was diagnosed). I cannot find it anywhere in the house (I have moved house twice since being diagnosed so it could be anywhere)!!!

[rebel11]

Hi Stu

 

In 1988 the rules were probably different where there was an automatic exemption from precsription. Somewhere along the line it's changed where you had to apply every 5 years and they send you an auto renewal form. Again, I couldn't tell you how long 'the every 5 years' renewal has been running. I don't think you can appeal and it is 'very unfair'.

 

You could consider contacting your MP, see if they can intervene. A similar situation tp yours:-

 

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/prescription-fine.68038/#post-688437

 

I

[Stu47803]

Thanks.

 

Looks like I need to get in touch with my MP to see it they can help?

[rebel11]

Let us know how you get on.

[Michael Browne]

Thanks.

 

Looks like I need to get in touch with my MP to see it they can help?

 

At the same time I'd reply to the letter, explaining the circumstances etc. Worked for this person (admittedly in 2012)

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/medical-exemption-certificate-fine.30917/

[Madamfluff]

Looks like the NHS is getting more proactive in preventing fraud, which is rife and costs the NHS Millions of pounds, like you I have a genuine illness which gives me the right to have a medical exemption card, this card has an expiry date on it and so did the three that I had before. Its stupid really as like you I have an illness that I will always have and will have to take the meds for the rest of my life.

 

 

The fraud investigations will pick up people like yourself who have a genuine right to free prescriptions but have not produced the correct documentation , you might call it harsh but the only alternative is to let the thieves get away with it with the end result being the NHS runs out of money and the likes of you and I having to pay for all prescriptions.

 

 

Your GP will have the form and will sign and hopefully you will get the same outcome as the poster on the other forum.

 

 

When you do get your card which is the same size as a credit card it will have a expiry date on I would suggest you keep it safe and always produce it, that way they will leave you alone and can concentrate on real fraudsters

[Nystagmite]

You only get the exemption if your diabetes is controlled by medication and not diet. You have to apply every 5 years and aren't sent a reminder.

[Conniff]

Type 1 is controlled with insulin injections.

[daKlone]

There must be something going on in the NHS, because we are in exactly the same situation.

 

My wife has been Type 1 Diabetic for in excess of 15 years and has had free prescriptions the whole time. Just like Stu47803 we've suddenly received not one but two demands for a total of over £200 in fines and prescription fees. Until these appeared, we were unaware that the medical exemption could expire.

 

We sent off a new application form, signed by her doctor on Friday last week.

 

Whilst strictly speaking, they are correct (I assume!) that the exemption certificate has probably expired, we have had no reminders or anything...and obviously my wife has been diabetic and therefore entitled to free prescriptions the whole time(!)

 

Do you think it would be worth contacting them to say this?

[dozzzza79]

for the past 13 years i have been on tax credits and when i first started on tax credits i received a card stating i didnt have to pay for prescriptions. i started work in january this year so i paid for a pre payment certificate as i believed i would no longer be entitled to free prescriptions. today i have received a penalty charge notice for the amount of £8.05 plus a penalty charge of £40.25 for a prescription i received in november 2014? it states i was not entitled to a tax credit exemption... after going on the tax credits website today it states i should of received another card every year but i never have so therefore i think i should of always been paying for them?.. i get between 1 to sometimes 5 items in a week and have done for years. im so worried now and scared i dont know whats going to happen, i never did this purposely and i never received a letter saying i wasnt entitled to them. i have paid the charge notice this evening but what happens now. i dont understand why it says november 2014 when i have received prescriptions after that..

[daKlone]

Sorry to continue the hijack of this thread, but...I'm going to

 

I wrote to the PECS people as soon as my wife's new exemption certificate arrived, explaining that although the original certificate may well have expired she was still entitled to free prescriptions due to having a qualifying condition. I asked them to waive the charges based on this.

 

I've just go a reply, which is basically a one-liner saying "we've considered the information you provided but you must still pay the charges". The rest is just blurb about how to pay.

 

And to add insult to injury, the first charge has now passed it's early repayment date and has clocked up an additional £50, making the grand total £270. The letter telling us that the additional £50 is due is dated a mere 2 days before the one refusing our "appeal".

 

I've a mind to pay the second charge before it gets to it's early repayment date (this Thursday), but write back and complain about the additional £50 on the first charge and see if they will waive it, since we were waiting for their reply. What do you guys think?

[daKlone]

for the past 13 years i have been on tax credits and when i first started on tax credits i received a card stating i didnt have to pay for prescriptions. i started work in january this year so i paid for a pre payment certificate as i believed i would no longer be entitled to free prescriptions. today i have received a penalty charge notice for the amount of £8.05 plus a penalty charge of £40.25 for a prescription i received in november 2014? it states i was not entitled to a tax credit exemption... after going on the tax credits website today it states i should of received another card every year but i never have so therefore i think i should of always been paying for them?.. i get between 1 to sometimes 5 items in a week and have done for years. im so worried now and scared i dont know whats going to happen, i never did this purposely and i never received a letter saying i wasnt entitled to them. i have paid the charge notice this evening but what happens now. i dont understand why it says november 2014 when i have received prescriptions after that..

 

I assume from this that you've been ticking box F on the back of the prescriptions that says "has a valid prescription pre-payment certificate" since January, and not box M "is entitled to, or is named on, a valid NHS Tax Credit Exemption Certificate"?

 

If you're sure you haven't, then why pay the charge? You should challenge them on it.

[dozzzza79]

Sorry to continue the hijack of this thread, but...I'm going to

 

I wrote to the PECS people as soon as my wife's new exemption certificate arrived, explaining that although the original certificate may well have expired she was still entitled to free prescriptions due to having a qualifying condition. I asked them to waive the charges based on this.

 

I've just go a reply, which is basically a one-liner saying "we've considered the information you provided but you must still pay the charges". The rest is just blurb about how to pay.

 

And to add insult to injury, the first charge has now passed it's early repayment date and has clocked up an additional £50, making the grand total £270. The letter telling us that the additional £50 is due is dated a mere 2 days before the one refusing our "appeal".

 

I've a mind to pay the second charge before it gets to it's early repayment date (this Thursday), but write back and complain about the additional £50 on the first charge and see if they will waive it, since we were waiting for their reply. What do you guys think?

can i ask did you receive just the 1 letter or 2 seperate letters?

[dozzzza79]

I ticked box m up until i paid for the pre payment this january as i thought i was entitled to it. I cant understand why if i wasnt that i have received the letter for only 1 prescription from november

[daKlone]

Two separate ones, dated 10 days apart, for prescriptions in October and November 2014.

[daKlone]

I ticked box m up until i paid for the pre payment this january as i thought i was entitled to it. I cant understand why if i wasnt that i have received the letter for only 1 prescription from november

 

So you're sure you haven't accidentally ticked it since then, and have been ticking box F instead on every prescription?

[dozzzza79]

No ive definitely ticked the correct box since getting my prepayment in january

[daKlone]

OK, so if you have a valid pre-payment certificate (I assume you purchased a 12-month one and not a 3-month one, correct?) and have correctly filled in the declaration on the back of the prescription itself, I'm struggling to see why they've sent the charge notice. And to be honest, I'm not sure why you've paid it.

[dozzzza79]

Surely they would charge me for every prescription in november plus december? And what about the previous years? Im do sorry to bombard you all, im just so scared, worried and dont know what to do

[daKlone]

Don't panic, slow down and take it one step at a time.

 

First thing, find your pre-payment certificate and confirm when it expires.

[dozzzza79]

They have sent it stating i was never entitled to receive tax credit free prescriptions although i received a card when i first went on tax credits i didnt know i should receive a new one each year, so thats making it look like ive got free prescriptions for approx 12 years and i shouldnt of. I got the pre payment 12mth one this january when i started work.

[daKlone]

Hang on, let's try to be clear here. The charge notice should say something like "...because you or your representative declared that you did not have to pay for the following reason: ....". What reason does it give?

[dozzzza79]

One of our checks showed that you received a prescription free of charge during november 2014, because you declared you did not have to pay for the following reason: you were entitled to or named on a valid nhs tax exemption certificate. As we could not find evidence of this you now need to take action