MORE than a million patients in the UK paid more than they needed to for their NHS prescriptions last year.
On average, Brits overpay by more than £35 each year, but the figure can be much higher.
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The new data was obtained by a MoneySavingExpert.com freedom of information request.
It found that in total 1,042,008 people paid out for twelve or more prescriptions items in 2018, each costing £8.80.
That means each patient spent at least £105.60 – with some spending considerably more.
But if they had bought a NHS prescription prepayment certificate (PPC), the cost for the 12 month period would have been capped at £104.
The data showed that on average people bought 16 prescriptions in that time, meaning they spent £140.80 throughout the year.
That means that getting a PPC would have saved patients £36.80 on average.
The PPC works like a season ticket, where you pay an up front cost, but then can get as many prescription medicines as you need without paying any extra.
It’s a great way for people to save money if they don’t qualify for free prescriptions, but regularly need to buy prescription medicine.
How to buy a prescription prepayment certificate
GETTING A PPC is quick and easy – just follow these simple steps.
- The quickest way to buy a PPC is online.
- You can also get one by ringing 0300 330 1341 or in some pharmacies.
- You can either pay in one lump some, or if you’re getting an annual certificate you can pay in 10 monthly instalments.
- When you buy online you’ll get an instant digital certificates, otherwise there will be a short delay while your certificate is sent to you.
- If you have to get a prescription while you wait you need to ask for an NHS refund form (FP57) when you buy your medicine.
Anyone who needed more prescriptions could have made an even bigger saving.
This year, the cost of prescription medicines through the NHS has risen to £9 a pop, but the cost of a PPC remains the same.
So anyone who is expecting to need twelve prescriptions or more should invest in a PPC to keep costs down.
Before you apply, check whether or not you qualify for free prescription as you may not need to pay anything at all.
There’s a helpful online tool that will tell you for free whether you’re eligible in less than three minutes.
If you’re only getting a few prescriptions over a short period of time, check if you can save with a three-month certificate.
This caps costs at £29.10, so if you’ll need to make four or more prescription purchases in three months the certificate will save you money.
Steve Nowottny, news and features editor at MoneySavingExpert.com, said: “These figures show that an increasing number of patients are paying more than they need to for medicine.
“While in some cases that will be due to unexpected illness, in other cases there will be people who do expect to need 12 or more prescriptions who are simply overpaying unnecessarily.
An NHSBSA spokesperson said: “Our online application allows people to get instant cover through a digital certificate.
“For example, if someone knows that they are going to need a few prescriptions in a short space of time they can quickly purchase a three-month PPC and save money.”
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