# medication



## musie (Dec 23, 2014)

hi can I buy thyroxin at chemist in Mallorca will be paying private health care but need repeat prescription cheers


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Yes of course, your private doctor can give you the prescription but you will have to pay the full price at the chemist if you aren't covered by the state healthcare system.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

musie said:


> hi can I buy thyroxin at chemist in Mallorca will be paying private health care but need repeat prescription cheers


you might be able to - it will partly depend upon the farmacia 

if you have private insurance you'll be able to get a private prescription from the doctor

the thyroxin itself will cost the same, with or without a private prescription, if you buy it OTC


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> you might be able to - it will partly depend upon the farmacia
> 
> if you have private insurance you'll be able to get a private prescription from the doctor
> 
> the thyroxin itself will cost the same, with or without a private prescription, if you buy it OTC


HI Xabiachica

Can you clarify something for me.


Our S1 forms end next year, and we will have to get Private Health Cover ( unless the
convenio especial kicks in here, which doubt). I am on Monthly medication. Do I have to pay FULL price for the medication - as I am a little confused, I thought I paid a percentage, and or some companies reinbursed a %age of the costs

Thanks
T


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

cambio said:


> HI Xabiachica
> 
> Can you clarify something for me.
> 
> ...


If you are only covered by private health insurance then as far as I am aware you would need to pay 100% of the cost of the medication, with a private prescription. I have never come across a company which includes the cost, or a percentage thereof, in the cover (except for anything which is prescribed during a hospital stay).

You'll also need to declare the condition your medication is for on your application form for private cover, of course. All policies have a qualifying period for most forms of treatment (mine covered GP appointments and emergency treatment immediately but for everything else the waiting period was between 3 and 6 months depending on the treatment). So you may wish to think about taking out the policy before your S1 cover ends in order not to be left with a gap.


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

When paying in to the Convenio especial , are prescription charges the same as for pre retirement , or 100% of cost?


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

extranjero said:


> When paying in to the Convenio especial , are prescription charges the same as for pre retirement , or 100% of cost?


According to the information on the UK Govt website, anyone covered by the Convenio Especial would have to pay 100% of the cost of prescriptions, too:-


https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-in-spain


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

musie said:


> hi can I buy thyroxin at chemist in Mallorca will be paying private health care but need repeat prescription cheers



In addition to my regular prescribed mediation, I have bought several different medications over the counter. I have never been asked for a prescription for anything, including those marked 'prescription only'..


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

larryzx said:


> In addition to my regular prescribed mediation, I have bought several different medications over the counter. I have never been asked for a prescription for anything, including those marked 'prescription only'..



Me too.


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

Larryzx and Hepa, you make it sound that being able to buy prescription drugs over the counter is a good thing! Our pharmacy does not sell antibiotics without prescription, even antibiotic drops for eye infections. That is how it should be.
People should not be self diagnosing or treating themselves with drugs bought over the counter, that should only be supplied on prescription.
When I first moved here, you could buy practically anything over the counter, but now , increasingly, this has been tightened up, and rightly so.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Lynn R said:


> If you are only covered by private health insurance then as far as I am aware you would need to pay 100% of the cost of the medication, with a private prescription. I have never come across a company which includes the cost, or a percentage thereof, in the cover (except for anything which is prescribed during a hospital stay).
> 
> You'll also need to declare the condition your medication is for on your application form for private cover, of course. All policies have a qualifying period for most forms of treatment (mine covered GP appointments and emergency treatment immediately but for everything else the waiting period was between 3 and 6 months depending on the treatment). So you may wish to think about taking out the policy before your S1 cover ends in order not to be left with a gap.


good point about covering early. Yes I am aware all medical conditions have to be declared. However There are policies that you can increase your premium and claim back the costs up to a %age, a friend has one, he is getting back to me later with the information,I will post as soon as I know.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

extranjero said:


> Larryzx and Hepa, you make it sound that being able to buy prescription drugs over the counter is a good thing! Our pharmacy does not sell antibiotics without prescription, even antibiotic drops for eye infections. That is how it should be.
> People should not be self diagnosing or treating themselves with drugs bought over the counter, that should only be supplied on prescription.
> When I first moved here, you could buy practically anything over the counter, but now , increasingly, this has been tightened up, and rightly so.



OK you are entailed to your view but please do not out words in others mouths, (you make it sound that being able to buy prescription drugs over the counter is a good thing) nor try to dictate to people, who may well have years of experience of using particular medications, and thus possible have more knowledge of their particular illness and medications, than the average GP.

If one* knows what they need* then why waste the time of a GP ? Of course if one does not know, or is not sure, then by all means take a chance with a GP. 

When I was on holiday for 3 months in Penang the doctor was asking my advice on the amount of Sintrom (anti coagulant) I needed, based on the lab results of the blood test he had done.

Prescribing many medications is not rocket science, although some would like us to believe it is.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Extra Cover Options - Sanitas Health Plan Spain


Pharmacy option


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

larryzx said:


> OK you are entailed to your view but please do not out words in others mouths, (you make it sound that being able to buy prescription drugs over the counter is a good thing) nor try to dictate to people, who may well have years of experience of using particular medications, and thus possible have more knowledge of their particular illness and medications, than the average GP.
> 
> If one* knows what they need* then why waste the time of a GP ? Of course if one does not know, or is not sure, then by all means take a chance with a GP.
> 
> ...


I'm referring to people who self medicate, particularly with antibiotics- that cannot be a good thing.
Even though people have been on the same medication for years, it doesn't mean they should always be on it, it needs reviewing periodically, either to stop it, change the dose or change to another drug completely.
People who move here and don't have free health cover find it is a good thing to be able to buy prescription medication they were on in the UK, without paying to see a doctor, but selling prescription drugs over the counter is not the right thing to do, and the authorities seem to be clamping down on it, in this region, anyway.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

extranjero said:


> I'm referring to people who self medicate, particularly with antibiotics- that cannot be a good thing.
> Even though people have been on the same medication for years, it doesn't mean they should always be on it, it needs reviewing periodically, either to stop it, change the dose or change to another drug completely.
> People who move here and don't have free health cover find it is a good thing to be able to buy prescription medication they were on in the UK, without paying to see a doctor, but selling prescription drugs over the counter is not the right thing to do, and the authorities seem to be clamping down on it, in this region, anyway.


I half agree and half do not so a sore butt from sitting on the fence.

As a Nurse, I have to agree that self medicating is not sensible, and all drugs should be reviewed by a qualified medical practitioner, especially antibiotics as over use is a well known issue. however, in my experience, many patients on long term medication often have a better understanding of the reality of taking the drug than medical people. Also just because a drug is on prescription does no mean that there are special, in my working lifetime many drugs given as Prescip only are now available over the counter, and most good pharmacists are usually have far more knowledge of drugs than the doctors.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

cambio said:


> HI Xabiachica
> 
> Can you clarify something for me.
> 
> ...


I see that Lynn has already replied, & yes, you will have to pay the full cost of meds

you will under the _convenio especial_, too


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

xabiachica said:


> I see that Lynn has already replied, & yes, you will have to pay the full cost of meds
> 
> you will under the _convenio especial_, too


For some on expensive drugs, ( two of mine are over 50 euros a month) the monthly prescription fee could take a large chunk of the budget, especially if a couple have chronic conditions.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

cambio said:


> Extra Cover Options - Sanitas Health Plan Spain
> 
> 
> Pharmacy option


Thanks, that's interesting.


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## musie (Dec 23, 2014)

thanks every one for advice


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