Manx NHS Patients Might Have To Pay More For Prescriptions And Dental Treatment.

NHS patients might have to pay more for prescriptions and dental treatment.

The Minister of Health has today announced plans to increase charges.

If approved by Tynwald, prescription charges will go up by 60pence.

Dental treatments would also increase.

The rise in charges would bring in almost 150,000 pounds over a year for the government.

If approved, it will take effect from 1st September 2010.

Exemptions from prescription charges
· Children under 16
· Full time students under 19
· Persons aged 60 or over
· Persons in receipt of Income Support and their dependants
· Persons in receipt of Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
· Persons in receipt of Incapacity Benefit for a period in excess of six months
· Persons in receipt of Family Income Supplements for a period in excess of three months
· Persons in receipt of Disability Working Allowance
· War Service Disablement Pensioners
· Chronic sick, who have been in constant need of medical attention for six months or longer and who are not in substantial employment
· Registered Blind Persons
· Women who are pregnant
· Women who have given birth within the previous twelve months
· Persons suffering from the following conditions, irrespective of income or employment circumstances:
 i. Permanent fistula (including caecostomy, colostomy, laryngostomy or ilestomy) requiring continuous surgical dressing or an appliance                  ii.   the following disorders:
o o   Forms of hypoadrenalism (including Addison’s Disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential,
o o   Diabetes insipidus and other forms of hypopituitarism,
o o   Diabetes mellitus except where treatment is by diet alone,
o o   Hypoparathyroidism
o o   Myasthenia gravis
o o   Myxoedema
 iii.     Epilepsy requiring continuous anti-convulsive therapy
 iv.    a continuing physical disability which prevents the patient from leaving his residence without the help of another person
 
Exemptions from Dental Charges
· Persons aged under 18
· Full time students under 19
· Expecting a baby when treatment starts
· Have had a baby within the last 12 months
· A woman aged 60 as at 1st September 2005
· Persons aged over 65
· Receive, or partner receives, Income Supports, Income Based Job Seekers Allowance, Family Income Supplement or Disability Working Allowance
· Are a War Pensioner
· Are registered blind
· Patients not falling within the above categories may be able to get help with NHS treatment on low income grounds. Each case is assessed on its individual merits
 
For further information regarding the Department of Health visit Healh Website