Health Professionals
When to issue a HCS(R) form and pre-paid addressed envelope
Forms HCS(R) should not be freely available. They should only be issued where there is genuine doubt about whether the patient is exempt from prescription charges. For instance, where a patient who pays the charge has applied for medical exemption, but has not yet received a medical exemption certificate.
If a patient has no evidence of entitlement to free prescriptions but is prepared to sign the declaration, he/she should do so and you or your staff should put a cross in the "evidence not seen" box, in accordance with normal Point of Dispensing (POD) check procedures. No patient or representative can be required to pay a charge simply because they have no evidence of exempt status. However, they must complete Part 1 and sign the declaration on the reverse of the prescription form.
N.B. The pharmacy does not issue the refund to the patient.
Does the patient get a refund for prescription charges from the Post Office?
We have re-imbursed the patient at the pharmacy - How do we claim the refund back?
Where do we get HCS (R) Forms/Prepaid Addressed Envelopes from?
Which HCS (R) Form should I issue to the patient for a prescription charge refund ?
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