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Use your Medical Card or GP Visit Card at the pharmacy

You use your Medical Card or GP Visit Card at a pharmacy when you collect prescribed medicines or medical items. A Medical Card and a GP Visit Card work differently for medicine costs.

Use this topic if you or someone you support wants to:
  • Know what to bring to the pharmacy
  • Understand how a Medical Card usually reduces medicine costs
  • Understand what a GP Visit Card does and does not cover at the pharmacy
  • Keep track of medicine charges and what to do if they seem too high

Tip

Medicine charges can be confusing. Pharmacists work with these rules every day and can help you understand them.

Before you go to the pharmacy

Try to bring:

  • Your card and prescriptions

    • Your Medical Card or GP Visit Card
    • Any prescription(s) from your GP or consultant

  • Details the pharmacy may ask for

    • Your PPS number. some pharmacies ask for this when they first register you
    • Details of any allergies or serious reactions to medicines
    • Money or a payment card for any prescription charges that may apply

If someone else is collecting medicines on your behalf, give them:

  • Your card, if possible
  • Your full name, address and date of birth
  • Any instructions from your GP or hospital doctor

Keeping to one main pharmacy is not a rule, but it can help staff keep track of your regular medicines and advise you safely.

Steps

Step 1. Hand in your prescription and show your card

At the pharmacy counter:

  1. Give the pharmacist or staff member your prescription.
  2. Show your Medical Card or GP Visit Card.
  3. Check they have the correct details for you:
    • Your name and date of birth
    • Your address
    • Your GP’s name

They may ask:

  • Whether the prescription is for you or for someone in your family
  • Whether you are already registered with a payment scheme, for example the Drugs Payment Scheme

The pharmacy will:

  • Check if the medicine is covered under the Medical Card or another scheme
  • Tell you about any charge you need to pay before they prepare the medicine

If the pharmacy does not have your medicine in stock

If the medicine is not available straight away, they will usually:

  • Tell you when to come back, or
  • Suggest another pharmacy that may have it in stock
Step 2. How a Medical Card usually affects medicine costs

If you have a Medical Card:

  • Usually covered

    • Many commonly prescribed medicines and certain medical items are subsidised or covered.
    • You may pay a small charge per item, up to a monthly limit per person or family, set by the HSE.

  • You may still pay for

    • Some items that are not covered under the Medical Card scheme. for example:
    • Certain over-the-counter products
    • Branded medicines where a cheaper alternative is available

If a medicine is not covered, the pharmacist may:

  • Explain the full cost you would need to pay, and or
  • Ask if your GP can change to a covered alternative where it is safe to do so

You can ask the pharmacist to:

  • Confirm which part of the cost is covered by the Medical Card
  • Let you know when you are close to the monthly cap, if applicable
  • Print a summary of your charges for a particular month if you need it for records

If you are worried about affording your medicines, you can:

  • Talk to the pharmacist about lower-cost alternatives that are clinically suitable
  • Ask your GP, hospital team or a medical social worker for advice on payment difficulties
Step 3. How a GP Visit Card affects medicine costs

If you have a GP Visit Card:

  • The card usually covers GP visits only.
  • You generally still pay for medicines at the pharmacy, in the same way as someone without a Medical Card.
  • You may be able to reduce your medicine costs by using other schemes, for example:
    • Drugs Payment Scheme
    • Long-Term Illness Scheme
    • Other specific supports described by the HSE

Ask the pharmacist to:

  • Explain which schemes might help with your regular medicines
  • Let you know if your monthly costs look high enough that a separate scheme could reduce them

For more detail on these options, see:

Step 4. Keep track of your monthly medicine costs

Keeping simple records can make it easier to check charges and apply for supports.

You can:

  • Ask for a receipt each time you collect medicines
  • Keep a small envelope or notebook with:
    • The date you collected medicines
    • The amount paid
    • The pharmacy name

This can help you to:

  • See if you have reached any monthly cap that applies under your card or another scheme
  • Spot any unusual or unexpected charges

If a charge seems higher than you expected:

  1. Ask the pharmacist to explain the amount.
  2. Check whether:
    • All items were covered by your Medical Card, or
    • Some items were charged at full cost
  3. If you are still unsure, you can contact:
    • The Medical Card office shown on your card or letters, or
    • A Citizens Information Centre for help checking the rules
Step 5. If you cannot afford your medicines

If you are finding it hard to pay for medicines, you are not alone, and there are ways to get help.

First, do not stop taking prescribed medicines without medical advice. If you cannot afford a medicine, speak to a pharmacist or doctor as soon as you can.

You can:

  • Tell your pharmacist. they may:
  • Check for cheaper generic options where safe
  • See if your medicines can be arranged in smaller, more affordable quantities
  • Talk to your GP or consultant about:
    • Whether all current medicines are still needed
    • Whether any alternative treatments are possible

If your medicine costs are linked to a serious or ongoing health condition, you can:

  • Ask to speak to a medical social worker in your hospital or Local Health Office
  • Contact a Citizens Information Centre to explore possible supports

What to do next

If, after using these steps, you are:

  • Unsure what your card should cover at the pharmacy, or
  • Worried about high or sudden changes in medicine costs

You can:

  • Write down your questions and bring them to your GP, pharmacist or Citizens Information
  • Contact your Local Health Office or the Medical Card office named on your letters

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