# Prescription Question



## JulyB (Jul 18, 2011)

So I knew all the rules on prescription payments had changed and so on, but the situation is that my doctor always gives me two prescriptions for my medicine so that I don't have to come back every month. 

I have left prescriptions for six months before without filling them and never had a problem getting the medicine at the pharmacy. However, today they told me that the prescription I got last month is only valid for 10 days and I couldn't use it, so I would have to pay for the medicine - which is very expensive. 

Small rant - (Okay, that's not quite all that happened, in the first pharmacy the girl told me variously 'passports aren't ID'... when I produced the tarjeta sanitaria 'I can't give you the prescription without a second surname'... and then, when she told me about the 10 day issue and I asked if I could buy it as I really needed it today, not next week so I couldn't go back to the doctor straight away, she said, 'I wouldn't sell you your medicine even if I had it in stock' - so I got the _distinct_ impression that she just hated foreigners). [/rant]

Anyhow - The second pharmacy were much more polite and told me that I 'maybe' could take the prescription, the receipt and the medicine's barcode to the doctor and they could reimburse me. Is that really true, or have I just lost the money?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

JulyB said:


> So I knew all the rules on prescription payments had changed and so on, but the situation is that my doctor always gives me two prescriptions for my medicine so that I don't have to come back every month.
> 
> I have left prescriptions for six months before without filling them and never had a problem getting the medicine at the pharmacy. However, today they told me that the prescription I got last month is only valid for 10 days and I couldn't use it, so I would have to pay for the medicine - which is very expensive.
> 
> ...



Yep, you can get a document from your doctor, then go to the chemist and they will reimburse you.

We had to do that once (but can't remember why - maybe I need more medicine:eyebrows.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

JulyB said:


> So I knew all the rules on prescription payments had changed and so on, but the situation is that my doctor always gives me two prescriptions for my medicine so that I don't have to come back every month.
> 
> I have left prescriptions for six months before without filling them and never had a problem getting the medicine at the pharmacy. However, today they told me that the prescription I got last month is only valid for 10 days and I couldn't use it, so I would have to pay for the medicine - which is very expensive.
> 
> ...


I think you might be right about teh girl in the first pharmacy - what a load of cobblers!!

yes, you should be able to go back to your doctor, explain the problem & get a new prescription, then return to the pharmacy with the new prescription, your reciept & the barcode from the box & get your money back

I've done it myself in the past when I didn't have time to get to the doctor but my local pharmacy was happy to sell the medicine to me


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## JulyB (Jul 18, 2011)

Thanks so much for the reassurance - and the tips on what to do - I was just a bit worried by the whole situation and it really isn't the kind of money I can just ignore.

(and yes, I'm pretty sure that the girl in the pharmacy is a bigot, but what can you do? These people are always with us.)


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## Calas felices (Nov 29, 2007)

*Prescription*

I think it's only likely to get worse - it seems that a lot of Spanish blame the immigrants for their woes.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Our farmacia now requires both the tarjeta and NIE/NIF before issuing a prescription. Maybe your awkward jobsworth was told that a passport was not a valid ID?

Apparently they will only issue prescriptions for one month's worth of meds at a time now, in case the prices go up in the meantime.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Calas felices said:


> I think it's only likely to get worse - it seems that a lot of Spanish blame the immigrants for their woes.


yes, you might have a point

it doesn't help when it is wrongly reported in newspapers that UK pensioners get the healthcare for free, meaning that the Spanish govt foots the bill, which of course it doesn't - & also that apparently Spain hasn't been paid for several years (though whether this is due to Spain not claiming it or the UK being slow at paying I don't know- I have heard both versions)

although tbh - how far does the +/-3,500 GBP that the UK pays per person actually go?

I recently heard an estimate that it would just about cover 3 days in intensive care...........

although I'm sure there are plenty of pensioners who don't 'get their monies worth' too


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Calas felices said:


> I think it's only likely to get worse - it seems that a lot of Spanish blame the immigrants for their woes.


Happens the world over, just that in the UK we're not on the receiving end, obviously.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> Spain hasn't been paid for several years (though whether this is due to Spain not claiming it or the UK being slow at paying I don't know- I have heard both versions)
> 
> although tbh - how far does the +/-3,500 GBP that the UK pays per person actually go?


In some cases Spain hasn't been paid where people who are resident here have been using EHICs.

Interested to know where the £3.5k comes from - first I've heard of it.

With regard to identity problems, we've had none but then we are in a village (3 farmacias) and I/we are known in each of them to the point that in two of them the assistants come out from behind the counter for a hug and a kiss kiss, often to the astonishment of other customers who are waiting in front of me.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> In some cases Spain hasn't been paid where people who are resident here have been using EHICs.
> 
> Interested to know where the £3.5k comes from - first I've heard of it.
> 
> With regard to identity problems, we've had none but then we are in a village (3 farmacias) and I/we are known in each of them to the point that in two of them the assistants come out from behind the counter for a hug and a kiss kiss, often to the astonishment of other customers who are waiting in front of me.


the 3.5K is the reciprocal agreement with the S1

I don't know exactly how it works with the EHIC - but I think it is individual bills for each usage.........and of course it is not meant for use by residents


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## Manin_bcn (Jun 18, 2011)

When I went to the farmacia this week, for my prescription, they charged me an extra 1€ for the "changes" ... still cheaper than the UK though!!


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## stevelin (Apr 25, 2009)

When we went we were charge 10% of the cost of meds and were told we would have to pay 10% of all meds up to 8 euro max a month. As just one of other half's meds cost 95 euro I dont think 10% max 8 euro is much to ask as in Uk would have to pay 7.50 per item


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Manin_bcn said:


> When I went to the farmacia this week, for my prescription, they charged me an extra 1€ for the "changes" ... still cheaper than the UK though!!


The Generalit has decided that they will charge a flat fee per item (as in the UK but much less) whereas other Communities have decided on a percentage of the real cost. Personally I think the latter option is better since it gives some reinforcement as to the cost of some medicines and, hopefully, will discourage waste.


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