PPC Refunds

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Neens

Neens

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Did anyone have a PPC when they were diagnosed? I paid for a 3 month pre-payment certificate and have been exempt since 4th Dec (although the card states the 13th Dec) I am not sure how they worked that out. I was prescribed Metaformin straight away but the GP had no forms so it was a while before the exemption certificate was logged.

I have used less than half of the entitled/paid time and am hoping this will qualify for a partial refund. At least 1 month. I followed instructions on letter and the link to the HC11 form is broken, search engines only throw older versions up (7+ years out of date).
I emailed them earlier but just wondered if anyone has tried to get a refund on prepaid prescription costs?
 
Sorry I can’t help but wanted to give your post a bump up.

Just had a thought, dangerous I know :D. Your pharmacist may know
 
My pharmacist said that I need to have been diagnosed for three months to trigger the exemption. But I’ll check that with the GP surgery as well because like you I bought a PPC the day I came home with the prescription for meds.
 
ColinUK said:
My pharmacist said that I need to have been diagnosed for three months to trigger the exemption. But I’ll check that with the GP surgery as well because like you I bought a PPC the day I came home with the prescription for meds.
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I don't believe that can be the case, because when I was diagnosed the exemption is backdated to a month before application in order to cover the time between diagnosis and the application going through - there's no reason why you should have to wait/pay for anything from the date you are diagnosed 🙂
 
Northerner said:
I don't believe that can be the case, because when I was diagnosed the exemption is backdated to a month before application in order to cover the time between diagnosis and the application going through - there's no reason why you should have to wait/pay for anything from the date you are diagnosed 🙂
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I’m back at the GPs next week so will ask their advice. I’ll also look at the NHS page and see what I can deduce.
 
Thanks all - @Ljc for the bump up! 😉 And @ColinUK and @Northerner for responses.

I bought my prepay in Oct - I have had them for the best part of 14 months due to the amount of bits of me needing medical help (which partly may have been because I was diabetic and things weren't able to heal) - so trying not to get humpity about the fact that all the meds could have been free saving me £100s - I spent best part of £40 pre -op and then the hospital had to throw all my drugs away!
So then I used my prepay for a couple of prescriptions and 42 days later was diagnosed.

NHS guidelines say that you can only get a partial refund if you are still in month 1 of the 3 month card. I was 11 days out.
So then it gets complicated because the GP and DN said I was entitled to refunded prescription on the card and the NHS site differs.
I had a response to the email and they have asked for address details and previous address details (?!) not sure of that relevance but have sent required info.

The form for me Medical exemption certificate was backdated to the 4th (Diagnosed) but the card/certificate started on the 13th Dec (again??)
If I had paid for prescriptions I would have put in 6 between diagnosis and card delivery (all diabetic) and actually 4 more that are for the other bits of me.
That's £90 I would be asking and expecting reimbursement on (which is why I think the medical certificate exemption date is later) so I would have had to pay outright for the first lot of diabetic medication... even deducting that it is £81 and I am hoping for/asking for £15.
I have used less than half of my PPC.

It all will seem petty maybe - but I have had to use my savings as income in part since Nov 2018 and in full since April 2019, I didn't have an income from Oct 2018- to Oct 2019 when I was signed back to work and now I have very little money left beyond bills/car/ food (which has gone up a bit with low carb shopping list) so every £1 to me is what £100 used to feel like!

So I just wondered in case anyone had been in the same position.

@ColinUK sorry you bought one when you did, they should have told you about exemption. I am sure you can get yours back as diagnosis will have been within the 1st month of the card.


Thanks for reading the rant - I am not generally a grumpy person! o_O
 
ColinUK said:
I’m back at the GPs next week so will ask their advice. I’ll also look at the NHS page and see what I can deduce.
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The NHS page yesterday when following link to the HC11 form was 404 error - I could only access older info. I did email.
The back of the letter states:
REFUNDS you may be entitled to a refund for some of the cost if there is more than one month remaining when medical exemption starts.

So
4th Dec Medical Exemption and PPC runs out 23rd Jan (almost 2 months remaining) and still over 1 month if I take the date they used of 13th Dec.
In theory they will give 1/3 refund - about £10 I guess.
 
ColinUK said:
My pharmacist said that I need to have been diagnosed for three months to trigger the exemption. But I’ll check that with the GP surgery as well because like you I bought a PPC the day I came home with the prescription for meds.
Click to expand...
I am sure this is not right - you qualify for medical exemption from point of diagnosis and as proven it is backdated if GP do not have form straight away.
Good luck, definately check with your GP - it is an FP92A

Found this just now - the up to date info on Pg 25
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2019-11/HC11 (V13) online 12 2019.pdf
 
grovesy said:
Type 2 only get free prescriptions if they are on Medication for the Diabetes,
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Which I am. I’ve been prescribed metformin.
 
grovesy said:
Type 2 only get free prescriptions if they are on Medication for the Diabetes,
Click to expand...
Thanks @grovesy, both Colin and I are on meds. My GP talked to me about the form and prescription exemption at the point of diagnosis and prescription (put straight onto 3 x Metaformin) and I just thought Colin should have been told the same thing.
 
Why are things so complicated?? I am 3 days in and 6 emails later - last 4 have had all the same relevant information sent, also on the 2nd member of staff. 🙄 I am being very polite and succinct.

I am also now dealing with the trauma of knowing my lovely first home (which I loved dearly) was sold to an investor and has been rented out ever since along with all my lovely fixtures and fittings left for him! And he didn't even pay the asking price! Still it took my mind off my diabetes for a bit! 😛
 
Neens This is just a shot in the dark. Do you suffer with Hypothyroidism? (Underactive thyroid?) If you do (and I trust you don't) you will automatically get free scripts for all your health issues whatever they may be.

I'm sorry you're struggling with the trauma of losing your beloved home. I know exactly how you must be feeling as I've had a similar experience. Homes are mainly just bricks and mortar but some of us have made a life in those homes right down to a particular cushion ~ colour of a pair of curtains ~ selected bath & kitchen faucets ~ a relationship. Fixtures and fittings may mean sod all to anyone else but they are just as important as the love and care that's created in a home. I'm sorry you lost your home Neens. (((HUGS)))
WL
 
wirralass said:
Neens This is just a shot in the dark. Do you suffer with Hypothyroidism? (Underactive thyroid?) If you do (and I trust you don't) you will automatically get free scripts for all your health issues whatever they may be.

I'm sorry you're struggling with the trauma of losing your beloved home. I know exactly how you must be feeling as I've had a similar experience. Homes are mainly just bricks and mortar but some of us have made a life in those homes right down to a particular cushion ~ colour of a pair of curtains ~ selected bath & kitchen faucets ~ a relationship. Fixtures and fittings may mean sod all to anyone else but they are just as important as the love and care that's created in a home. I'm sorry you lost your home Neens. (((HUGS)))
WL
Click to expand...

Thanks for such a lovely response WL. I should have detailed. Because I had to send previous address I looked it up to check the postcode, moved 7 years ago (bought also lovely place with partner)... but the buyer had always promised he was not an investor - it was important to me as it was originally shared ownership and allowed people (like me) to get a foot on the ladder. In the end I had to sell it outright as the only way, which was complicated and expensive process. I couldn't keep it and rent it out as it was shared ownership. When I looked it up all the listings came and I thought gosh he sold it 2 months later - but no he rented it out. Still has my original decor (1st place I painted/decorated) and all the beautiful fixtures he asked me to leave including blinds I wanted to transfer to the new home. Just makes me sad that I fell for buyer patter.

On another note I genuinely loved the place. I had rented for a 12 years and moved a lot - so the roots were symbolically important, but the place on first viewing literally took my breath away and I had 6 very happy years there!
(Sighs) - thanks for understanding.
x

As for thyroid - I don't think so - it is something which has often been checked at various points and always results have been okay.
I have a medical exemption - so I do get free scripts - that isn't a problem, just trying to get a refund on the part of the pre-pay I no longer need.
 
Hope you manage to jump through enough hoops to get your refund, and that it isn’t too much bother @Neens
 
NEWSFLASH
*******************
4 days
Double figure emails
3 members of staff

RESULT:
The back of the letter claiming that if you have 1 month or more left on PPC you may get a refund is dribble! Don't waste your time and energy.
The link sent in the letter and on subsequent emails is broken and does not take you to the HC11 form PDF which is what you need to complete to get the refund and part of me suspects why they are not processing refunds.
My GPs were under the impression that I would get one - so unfortunately it is another part of the system that is broken.

So basically if you buy a PPC and then get diagnosed and you're in the first 4 weeks of card use you qualify for a refund and anything over that you don't.
Also it is important to get the FP92A from GP as soon as possible /on diagnosis because even though you can backdate the form when they receive it they only backdate to a month before it is received. Obviously not an issue for me because I could use my PPC but had I not got one there would be £9.00 prescription charge I wouldn't qualify for a refund on either.

All a little too much for me this hoop jumping with no soft landing! Off for a cup of tea. 🙂
 
Ah sorry to hear that Neens :(
 
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