Consumer Corner: How to save on medical costs this winter

Medical bills can be expensive business when sickness hits a household but we have compiled our top tips on how to save costs this winter.

Winter is coming and with that comes colds, coughs and who knows what else. 

Medical bills can be expensive business when sickness hits a household but we have compiled our top tips on how to save costs this winter.

Tip one: GP Visit Card Scheme

The GP visit cards are now available to over 800,000 people and income thresholds were raised to include people earning up to the median wage. 

The assessment for a card considers personal and living circumstances, income and expenses. 

The beauty here is that you can apply for the card online on www.hse.ie/GPvisitcards and if you are successful you could save a lot of money on GP visits.

Tip two: Under 8s GP Visit Cards

All children aged seven and under are eligible for a GP visit card. 

In addition many families with young children may be eligible for a family GP visit card covering children and adults. 

People can register children for an under eights GP visit card at www.hse.ie/GPvisitcards.

Tip three: Free Contraception

Free Contraception Services are now available to all women aged 17 to 35. 

The scheme covers the cost of consultations with GPs, family planning, student health and primary care centres, and prescriptions for the wide range of contraceptive options. 

Find out how to access the service at www.sexualwellbeing.ie/sexual-health/contraception/free-contraception/

Tip four: Abolition of public in-patient charges

Public in-patient charges have been abolished in all public hospitals. The Health (Amendment) Act 2023 removed the acute public in-patient charge of €80 per day, capped at a maximum of €800 in a year, including day-case charges for people accessing care as a public patient in all public hospitals.

Tip five: Drugs Payment Scheme

The Drugs Payment Scheme threshold has been reduced to €80 a month. 

This means that costs for families or individuals for approved prescribed drugs and medicines are capped at €80 per month. 

For more information visit www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/drugs-payment-scheme or ask at a pharmacy about the scheme.

Tip six: 12 month prescriptions

The maximum legal validity of prescriptions has been extended from six to 12 months. 

Patients who are stable on medication can, at the discretion of their prescribing doctor, now receive prescriptions valid for up to a year. 

This can reduce repeat visits and repeat prescription costs. For more information visit www.gov.ie/12monthprescriptions.

Tip seven: Free at-home STI testing kits

The home sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing service provides individuals aged 17 and older with the option to test for STIs discreetly at home. 

The free test kit includes all the equipment needed to collect the samples, and instructions and links to videos on how to take the samples. 

For more information visit www.sh24.ie.

Tip eight: Vaccinations

Some vaccines are available to eligible groups free of charge and are essential to protect public health. 

These include vaccines available to children as part of the primary childhood immunisation programme, and schools immunisation programme as well as seasonal flu and covid vaccines. 

Check www.hse.ie/immunisation for more information.

Tip nine: Health cover

If you do have private health cover and you need to renew your policy the first bit of advice is to shop around. 

Dermot Goode of totalhealthcover.ie says if you’re on the same plan for over three years, you need to review your cover as you’ve been hit by each subsequent price rise for that period. 

He also advises to watch out for special offers as many consumers miss valuable cost savings by not monitoring market developments and this is especially the case for young families. 

He says another thing you could look at is giving up private room cover and that unless this is critical for you, consider dropping a level for similar cover but big savings.

“For consumers who are open to switching and don’t mind taking on small excesses in private hospitals, this is one of the best ways of reducing your costs. Savings vary, but reductions of at least 10% to 20% may be possible by accepting a small excess in private hospitals.

“Don’t let fear of change or inertia hold you back. Saving €500 to €1,000 per adult on your annual bill could cover your car and home insurance for another year so take steps now to avoid over-paying for your cover.”

Tip ten: Tax

Any doctors visit you’ve had this year or any prescriptions you’ve collected, no matter what the cost, 20% of this figure can be claimed back through a tax refund, says Marian Ryan, consumer tax manager with Taxback.com. 

You can also claim relief for non-routine dental care such as crowns, veneers and root canal to name but a few. Your dentist will normally give you a Med2 form after your treatment.You need this to claim this relief.

You can also claim income tax relief on nursing home expenses covered by you and not by the HSE.

This can be claimed as a deduction from your total income and is apportioned at your highest rate of tax.