paying for meds

Hi everyone, i am new to the forums and glad to have found you all. I have been reading some of the forums as i am new here, i am shocked that people have to pay for medical treatment and prescriptions. I live in Scotland and all medical care is free including scrips i dont know how you all manage, if you have a mental illness like me it must make your life hell with all the worry. Why does your government allow people to suffer like this, thats my rant over if anyone needs a chat dont hesitate. I suffer PTSD, depression. i leave you all with love and best wishes.

Thanks for your post, deewock60. Yes, it can be extremely difficult for many people. And not just individuals who have mental illness... but also people with other serious medical conditions. But, hey... we, in the U.S.A., have multi-million dollar sports stadiums. So something's got to give somewhere...

I always wondered why you get free prescriptions in Scotland but you have to pay if you live in England yet they are both in the UK under the same NHS??

It costs £8 per item on the prescription so I have 6 x £8 = £48 per prescription or I get a prepayment card £29 for 3 months.

Hi Happy pills..........we have our own parliament and are able to make decisions regarding health. I dont understand why the English parliament cant do the same.

i leave wishing you good health...........and free scrips as you all deserve.

sell the stadiums and give the money to the people

I live in the US and have never understood why we have to pay so much for medication. Especially without insurance. Just one of my prescriptions is $250.00 a month and others are higher! When I did have a job and insurance, I always felt so bad and mad about the elderly having to pay such high prices for their medications which could mean life or death to them... in my opinion, the pharmaceutical companies and government are in this together... its all about money and power...there's nothing to help the poor, not really.

Mental illness is stigmatized in the US. Within cities we have underground cities made up of homeless populations where mental illness is predominant. People on the street often need medication in order to get well and be able to work to get off the street. Even if they can get a month's supply of meds from a free clinic, they cannot continue the meds, and so resort to dangerous street drugs. That's reality. As long as the rich get richer who cares if the disenfranchised, the elderly, and the isolated are left untreated?

At one point, one of my medications was $600 a month!!! I had no insurance and there was no generic (or any other medication that worked the same). It was pretty insane.

That's insane. Agreed.

I started lamictal when it was restively new and there was no genetic. I had no insurance either and I think it was roughly $400 a month. I was lucky and got on the manufacturers plan where I got it free for a year (I was low income too.) sometimes that can help but the sad truth is people go without needed medication in the us all the time due to health costs-the same with not being able to see a physician when sick. It's screwed up.

I've gone without meds and therapy for lack of insurance and money. It's sucky

Well, right now I'm going untreated, not by choice though.
I don't have the money to see a therapist like I should be, let alone pay for meds.
And that's not just mental health issues.
I have a really serious physical health condition but can't afford to go to a specialist right now and so I have been without meds for a few months.

I understand your predicament. I, too, am suffering because of lack of money for treatment. I hope things improve for you soon.

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Most first world countries see medical as a right, her in the good old USA it is a privilege for those that have the money. It a shining example of profits before people.

I'm in the US. Insurance hasn't payed for all of my meds. I've fought them multiple times, have won some of the time, am currently fighting them again. My doctor wants me to start a medicine that's new to the market. It's expensive and there is no generic. Insurance won't pay a penny, it's not on "the list". So I am taking something else that they are willing to cover, but it's not working as well as I would like it to.

The medication I am on (Brintellix) is not on my pharmacy list but my doc fills out a preauthorization and I ca get them. The copayment is high 50/month.

Deewok60, i think you just hit a nerve! LOL... our government is in dire straits, going to hell in a hand basket. I won't get into it... but there is no equality. People who pay into the system are denied and those that did not get benefits. There is no rhyme or reason for such madness. I pay out of pocket 100% for all my meds cause i make too much money for Medicaid. So i go without. I go to food shelves for food. I go to thrift shops for clothes. I find free stuff alongside the road and i grab it. I ask people for free used stuff all the time. And it works. I have no pride, no shame. I am in survivalist mode. Now, we are not Socialist government like you are. There is no comparison. None. Count your blessings and be grateful. tc

Without getting political the whole system is a giant Cluster ****. I'm one of the lucky ones with fairly decent insurance (except dental, which is a whole other issues), but some prescriptions are covered more than others, some not at all.

Medical bills are a large reason I'm in bankruptcy. It's an insane system that is also way to complicated.