Identifying & Optimising Medical Expenses
Carers Conference download
| grace_medical_costs_handout.pdf |
There are many hidden costs to being ill, furthermore a ill health is often the catalyst to debt problem’s occurring, especially when associated with long-term sickness, however, a sudden period of ill health whether short-term or not can act as a tipping point for financial hardship.
When assessing a client’s financial situation, especially if there is a health issue, it is helpful when going through expenditure information to look for purchasing patterns or items such as:
There are benefits, grants and payment plans that clients maybe able to access to assist with costs.
Prescription Costs:
The current prescription cost is £8.20, in certain circumstances prescription charge are free for those on benefits, some medical conditions are exempt, cancer patients are also entitled to free medicines.
Those who are not entitled free prescription, but require regular medications can often benefit from a prepayment card, which fixes the costs and acts as a cap.
There is also assistance for NHS costs, prescriptions, dental and optical for those on low incomes. To apply for an HC2 certificate, you should complete form HC1, which is available from Jobcentre Plus offices or most NHS hospitals and GP surgeries.
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Prescriptioncosts.aspx
Minor Ailments Service via NHS designated pharmacies provides free advice and medicines and dressings for U16 and over 60’s those on prepayments and exempt.
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Pharmacy/Pages/Commonconditions.aspx
The above link includes a search tool to find registered pharmacies; Boots are a included within the scheme.
Dietary & Nutritional Supplements:
If a client has a dietary need such as gluten intolerance, Coeliac’s disease and the like, if a formal diagnosis has been made, these food items can be prescribed, see above for details. The same principle will apply to vitamins and protein supplements required for a reason of medical necessity.
Sanitary/Incontinence Products:
Incontinence products are quite often available from the NHS, especially as a result of a medical condition or following surgical trauma, however, if you have symptoms it is possible to be assessed. Each area will have its own criteria, the starting point is a patients GP.
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/can-i-get-incontinence-products-on-the-nhs.aspx?CategoryID=68&SubCategoryID=154
Dental Care/Products:
Dental Care is free to the U16 & Over 60’s, those on benefits and can be means tested for those on low incomes. Emergency Care is often available and often free in some area’s. There is an NHS tariff of charges which can be useful when budgeting costs.
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1781.aspx?CategoryID=74
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/dentists/Pages/nhs-dental-charges.aspx
http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Dentists/LocationSearch/3
Optical/Eye Care:
Dental Care is free to the U16 & Over 60’s, those on benefits and can be means tested for those on low incomes, additionally the blind, and those with glaucoma or diabetes and those with an immediate relative with glaucoma qualify for free eye tests.
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Eyecarecosts.aspx
Appliances/Aids.
Clients can often benefit from appliances, aides and occasionally adaptions to their homes to assist with making life easier. If they already have a Social Worker or Occupational Therapist they can be contacted, if they live in social housing you may need to contact the provider if it involves an adaption to the house. If they require a referral to a Occupational Therapist, then a visit to their GP will be required.
http://www.nhs.uk/Planners/Yourhealth/Pages/Equipment.aspx
Low Income Guidance:
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Documents/2015/HC12-april-2015.pdf
Travel charges
If you are referred to hospital or other NHS premises for NHS specialist treatment or diagnostic tests by your doctor, dentist or other health professional, you may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS). To find out more got to:
http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/healthcosts/pages/travelcosts.aspx
When assessing a client’s financial situation, especially if there is a health issue, it is helpful when going through expenditure information to look for purchasing patterns or items such as:
- Medications
- Dietary/Nutritional Supplements
- Sanitary/Incontinence Products
- Dental Care/Products
- Optical/Eye Care
- Appliances/Aids.
There are benefits, grants and payment plans that clients maybe able to access to assist with costs.
Prescription Costs:
The current prescription cost is £8.20, in certain circumstances prescription charge are free for those on benefits, some medical conditions are exempt, cancer patients are also entitled to free medicines.
Those who are not entitled free prescription, but require regular medications can often benefit from a prepayment card, which fixes the costs and acts as a cap.
There is also assistance for NHS costs, prescriptions, dental and optical for those on low incomes. To apply for an HC2 certificate, you should complete form HC1, which is available from Jobcentre Plus offices or most NHS hospitals and GP surgeries.
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Prescriptioncosts.aspx
Minor Ailments Service via NHS designated pharmacies provides free advice and medicines and dressings for U16 and over 60’s those on prepayments and exempt.
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Pharmacy/Pages/Commonconditions.aspx
The above link includes a search tool to find registered pharmacies; Boots are a included within the scheme.
Dietary & Nutritional Supplements:
If a client has a dietary need such as gluten intolerance, Coeliac’s disease and the like, if a formal diagnosis has been made, these food items can be prescribed, see above for details. The same principle will apply to vitamins and protein supplements required for a reason of medical necessity.
Sanitary/Incontinence Products:
Incontinence products are quite often available from the NHS, especially as a result of a medical condition or following surgical trauma, however, if you have symptoms it is possible to be assessed. Each area will have its own criteria, the starting point is a patients GP.
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/can-i-get-incontinence-products-on-the-nhs.aspx?CategoryID=68&SubCategoryID=154
Dental Care/Products:
Dental Care is free to the U16 & Over 60’s, those on benefits and can be means tested for those on low incomes. Emergency Care is often available and often free in some area’s. There is an NHS tariff of charges which can be useful when budgeting costs.
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1781.aspx?CategoryID=74
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/dentists/Pages/nhs-dental-charges.aspx
http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Dentists/LocationSearch/3
Optical/Eye Care:
Dental Care is free to the U16 & Over 60’s, those on benefits and can be means tested for those on low incomes, additionally the blind, and those with glaucoma or diabetes and those with an immediate relative with glaucoma qualify for free eye tests.
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Eyecarecosts.aspx
Appliances/Aids.
Clients can often benefit from appliances, aides and occasionally adaptions to their homes to assist with making life easier. If they already have a Social Worker or Occupational Therapist they can be contacted, if they live in social housing you may need to contact the provider if it involves an adaption to the house. If they require a referral to a Occupational Therapist, then a visit to their GP will be required.
http://www.nhs.uk/Planners/Yourhealth/Pages/Equipment.aspx
Low Income Guidance:
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Documents/2015/HC12-april-2015.pdf
Travel charges
If you are referred to hospital or other NHS premises for NHS specialist treatment or diagnostic tests by your doctor, dentist or other health professional, you may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS). To find out more got to:
http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/healthcosts/pages/travelcosts.aspx
