Northern Ireland gets free prescriptions

[steaa]

With all the talk of health care here recently, I thought I would post about the removal of prescription charges here in NI. As of last Thursday, prescriptions in NI are now free. They were previously £3 per script... about ~$4.50.

http://www.webmd.boots.com/healthy-ageing/news/20100331/northern-ireland-gets-free-prescriptions



Launching the free service, Northern Ireland’s Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey said: "I believe that charging people for vital medication is totally against the principles of a health service that is free at the point of use.

“Prescription charges have been called a tax on illness. The fact is that within our community there are ill people who do not have enough money to pay for their prescriptions. They are being forced to choose between their medicine and food, which is totally unacceptable.

Northern Ireland’s doctors have welcomed the start of free prescriptions.

Dr Paul Darragh, Chairman of the BMA’s Council in Northern Ireland, says in a news release: “This is a momentous day for healthcare in Northern Ireland. “Patients with chronic and life threatening illnesses who need regular medication will now be able to get their medicines without having to worry about the cost”.

[napi21]

1. WOW! How can we get this in the US Headlines? How about

CNN & MSNBC?