There is a €2.00 per item charge every month on medical card prescription item. (see HSE leaflet over) There is a monthly limit set by HSE of €20.00. You will only be billed for the specific medication provided to you.

Where a resident does not have a valid medical card, this DPS government scheme requires the payment of the first €134 per calendar month by the Drug Payment Card holder for any amounts above €134, the government will cover the remaining monthly cost of medication.

Each month the government provides a list of medicines to pharmacists that they will pay for under the various drug schemes- GMS, DPS etc. For those items not covered by any government scheme, it will be necessary for the pharmacy to charge patients for these items. Examples of such items that may be charged for are vitamins, laxatives etc. To find more about medicines or aids that are provided under the GMS (Medical Card) or DPS (Drugs Payment Scheme) schemes please go to https://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/pcrs/items/ Please note that any changes to the prescribing of any medicinal product/medicine is solely a decision between the patient and their GP

If you do not qualify for a Medical Card, ask us about the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS). You may be able to save on your monthly medicine costs.

Any Irish resident who does not hold a medical card* is entitled to enroll on the DPS (*those holding GP Visit Cards can enroll). Under the scheme, each individual or family will never pay over €134* from the 1st of Jan 2018(*subject to change by HSE) per calendar month for their prescription medicines.

This doesn’t mean that you are obliged to pay €134 every month. Your pharmacy will keep a running total of the amount you pay for prescriptions and stop charging you once you have hit the €134 mark. It is advisable to remain with the same pharmacy for each calendar month to ensure the total is kept accurately up-to-date.

Click to find out more on: http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/drugspaymentscheme/

From 1st December 2013 people with medical cards will pay a charge for medicines and other items they get on prescriptions from pharmacists. This was announced as part of Budget 2014. The charges will be subject to a cap of €20.00 per month or each person or family.

If you have a medical card, this means that when you take your prescription to the pharmacist, you will be charged €2.00 for each item of medicine you receive. This €2.00 will contribute toward the cost of your medicines, and the HSE will continue to pay the rest of the cost.

Some people or families may get a number of items prescribed for them, but no person or family will be liable or pay more than €20.00 per month. A family is you, your spouse/partner and your children under 21 who are in full time education.

If your family pays more than €20.00 in a month, for example if you use different pharmacies the you can apply to the HSE for a refund.

You can apply on www.medicalcard.ie or at your Local Health Office. You will need to have your Medical Card Number (printed on the from your card) to apply for a refund.

There will be no prescription charge for methadone supplied to patients under the Methadone Treatment Protocol. These patients will pay prescription charges for other items received under the medical car scheme.
Children in the care of the HSE who have their own medical card are not liable to pay the prescription charge. This includes children in residential care, foster care, foster care with relatives and other car placements,

The prescription charge will not apply to items supplied under the Long-Term Illness Scheme, the Drugs Payment Scheme or private prescriptions. The charge doe not apply to people who are covered by the Health(Amendment) Act 1996 scheme.