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this post was submitted on 21 Jun 2023
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It should be free for everyone. Which isn't an option, of course.
It really shouldn't. There's enough pressure on the NHS as it is - I see no reason to add to that by spending finite money on free prescriptions for middle class people who can comfortably afford them, when that money would be much better put to use on sorting out the state of GP availability, reducing hospital waiting lists, etc.
Disagree. No one should have to pay for healthcare at the point of use. How that's paid for is a vexed question of course, but it should be the goal to be completely free.
People who have the means should pay, so we can afford for people who don't have the means not to need to.
When you're talking about spending taxpayers' money (whether that's on health, social care, education, etc) the marginal benefit of spending it on the neediest will almost always be greater than that of spending it on those who could afford to pay for it themselves. I find it very difficult to justify why millionaires in Britain can get free prescriptions, winter fuel allowances, OAP bus passes, etc, whilst there are other people struggling by with the help of food banks and charities for whom this money would do an awful lot more good.
Means testing is less cost effective in some cases than helping everyone.
We already do this through taxes, but our shitty government refuses to give the NHS what it needs. If it were handled properly free prescriptions wouldn't be an issue. They're certainly not in Wales.