Medication needs when moving internationally
On my list of topics to write about was what considerations need to be given to prescription (and over the counter) medications when you move to Ireland. I'm sure it's a topic of considerable concern to almost anyone who moves internationally, so it was a nice surprise for me today to see that my friends at the Irish Fireside have already done a lot of the leg work, and I can point you to them for a lot of the info you might need. Corey (an Irish travel pro) published "What are the rules for traveling to Ireland with medications?" and in the article goes in to detail about how you should prepare for your travels with regard to medication, how much to take with you, prescription information to carry when traveling, and what to expect from Irish pharmacies. There are some good tips in the comment section too, so be sure to scroll down to read those. Corey's site is geared specifically towards holiday-makers, and of course the article is targeted at that audience, so for international movers I'll add a few more points to consider here.
1. If you regularly take any medication, OTC or prescribed, I would recommend consulting with a doctor and/or pharmacist soon after arriving in Ireland. Like Corey mentions, some of the medications you might be used to taking might have a different name in Ireland (e.g. blood pressure and cholesterol meds), and in some cases the medication may not be available at all. An alternative most likely is, and it'll help your medical professional in Ireland assess what you need if you can show them what you take now, and what you take it for. If you want to do a little home-research yourself, there are websites out there that list what the brand names for medications are in different countries. Try drugs.com/international (or grab their app from iTunes or Google Play) and type in the item name of your choice. Here's an example drug page for the search term ibuprofen. On it you can see the brand, generic, foreign brand names etc.
2. Corey recommends taking enough medications to last your through your trip, and a lady who commented on the article says she takes even more just in case she gets delayed on her way back home. For people who are moving to Ireland, you're going to need to plan ahead and bring enough to last you until you can get seen by an Irish doctor, especially for any medications which require a prescription here. If your medications are critical to your health, I would recommend trying to arrange an appointment to see a doctor in your new town/city ever before you set off on your international move. Things can sometimes move a little slow in Ireland, and it might take a few weeks to get in to see a local doctor, especially in busy areas. Keep that in mind when you're stocking up on critical medications before you leave for your new home.
3. Medications are very strictly regulated all over the world, and from country to country the rules can be different for some items. Where you might not have needed a prescription before, you might now, or vice versa. Or to get the desired dosage strength of an item, you might find that you'll need a prescription in Ireland, and you didn't before. It may not be too common a scenario, but it's good to know what you'll need ahead of time.
Another reason you may need a prescription for your medication is because there are regulations related to pharmacy practice whereby a prescription from a doctor registered in Ireland might be required. This is another really good reason to set yourself up with a local GP (family doctor) soon after arriving in Ireland.
4. If you're moving from the US to Ireland, you will probably notice that supermarkets carry far less over-the-counter medications than you might have been used to in the States. I'm not sure why this is but my best guess is that is likely due to regulations about what types of medications they can sell, or what can be readily on display on their shelves. While in Ireland, Pharmacies (or what a lot of people call Chemists here) are the best place to go for your medicinal needs.
What did I miss? Please add any relevant info in the comments. Thanks.
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One thing to consider is many prescription drug plans in the US give an option of a 90-day supply for a lower co-pay. Switching to that plan a month or two in advance could help stock up before traveling.
Good info, David. What would the typical allowed supply be? For those who this would work for, it is a great way to stock up.
With all the insurance companies in the US I have had over the last 12 years it was 30-day retail pharmacy, and 90-day through mail order. The insurance company can cut their costs by using a specific mail order that doesn’t have the same overhead, and they charge twice the 1 month co-pay. For example 30-days might be 5/20/40, and mail order 10/40/80. They don’t let you stockpile though with that. For example my insurance won’t let me switch to mail order until 3 weeks after last filled at retail.
They may also deny the mail order if you have notified them you are canceling your insurance.
First port of call for information might be http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_to_ireland/introduction_to_the_irish_system/health_care_in_ireland.html
The HSE web site has a lot of useful information http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/mc/about/
I have linked the Medical card page as this is a very useful item for those who meet the requirements another link is http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/entitlement_to_health_services/medical_card.html
For those who do not qualify for the card Medical insurance should be a priority. Worth remembering that paid for prescriptions are deductible against tax.. perhaps something for another topic?
Thanks, Tony. Do you know if the paid for prescriptions are added up with regular medical costs (doctors visits, etc) for the purposes of tax? This is something I must look into. Good be a handy cost-savings tip for anyone planning to move here.
Sorry don’t know the answer to that one.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/tax/income_tax_credits_and_reliefs/taxation_and_medical_expenses.html
You can claim tax relief on:
Costs of doctors and consultants fees
Items or treatments prescribed by a doctor or consultant
Thanks, David. For anyone looking to find out more, click through to that link. There’s a whole host of medical costs you can claim against to reduce your tax bill.
You will also need to review the Guide to claiming Health or Medical Expenses Relief from Revenue.ie. There’s an online and paper version for claiming the tax relief, and everything you will need to do so, is explained there. There is also a special tax relief available for dialysis patients. See: http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/leaflets/it6.html#section4
Multiple country taxation might be a subject for another post. I know there are some requirements for filing in the US when you or your spouse are US Citizens even when you have lived the whole year and only worked outside the US.
David
Yeah the US does have a crazy requirement of paying tax there even if you live elsewhere permanently. It is the only country that I know of that does this, and it even applies to green card holders. In fact it was in the news this week about the number of US citizens giving up their citizenship as a result. 2014 had the highest number ever. (source: wsj.com.)
It may be something I look at more closely in the future, but my guess is it’s a tricky topic, with annually changing requirements. I’d recommend consulting a tax pro to anyone who has moved, or is planning a move anywhere internationally.
Eritrea also does. A few other countries do it for a limited time, or if you move to a tax haven.
The table on this Wikipedia page breaks down country by country which one taxes foreign earned income.
Is it possible to have your medications mailed to you in Ireland from the U.S.? We hope to live in Ireland for 6 months at a time starting in 2 years. We currently are able to get 90 day prescriptions here in the U.S. and would have them filed just before leaving.
Hi Becky
I think it is dependant on the item. It’s probably best to check with your local PO, but in the meantime check out the info at these 2 pages
https://www.usps.com/ship/shipping-restrictions.htm
http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c4_019.htm