If your household doesn’t have a medical card, there’s a good chance you’re overpaying for your medicines — because one of the most useful schemes in Irish healthcare is also one of the least known. The Drug Payment Scheme (DPS) means no household in Ireland ever has to pay more than €80 in a calendar month for approved prescribed medicines. No means test. No income limit. Anyone can register.
How the Drug Payment Scheme works
- You register once (takes about 5 minutes — online or with a form we have in store).
- You get a DPS card for your household.
- Show it each time you collect a prescription. Once your household’s spending on approved items reaches €80 in that calendar month, everything else that month is free.
“Household” is generous: it covers you, your spouse or partner, children under 18 — and up to 23 if they’re in full-time education.
DPS savings calculator
Roughly how much does your household spend on prescriptions in a typical month?
How to apply
- Online at the HSE website (mydps.ie) — you’ll need your PPS number.
- In store — we keep the paper forms at Laois Pharmacy and will help you fill one in while you wait.
Your card is posted out, but don’t wait for a big prescription month to sign up — register before you need it.
DPS vs medical card vs Long-Term Illness — which applies to you?
- Medical card: means-tested; medicines covered, small €1.50-per-item charge. Full medical card guide.
- Long-Term Illness scheme: free medicines for 16 listed conditions (diabetes, epilepsy and others), no means test.
- DPS: everyone else — caps the household at €80/month.
You can be registered for the DPS while you apply for a medical card, so there’s no reason to be unprotected in the meantime.
Want us to check you’re on the right scheme?
Call in or message us — it takes our pharmacists two minutes to look at what you’re paying and tell you if a scheme could cut it. It’s the kind of conversation that saves families hundreds of euro a year.
Drug Payment Scheme FAQs
Is the Drug Payment Scheme means-tested?
No. Any household ordinarily resident in Ireland can register, regardless of income. You just need a PPS number.
Who counts as my household for the €80 cap?
You, your spouse or partner, children under 18, and children up to 23 in full-time education. All their approved medicines count toward the same €80 monthly cap.
Does the DPS cover everything the pharmacy sells?
It covers approved prescribed medicines and certain appliances. Over-the-counter shelf products aren’t included. Our pharmacists can tell you whether a given item is covered.
Can I claim tax back on top of the DPS?
Yes — amounts you pay under the DPS qualify for 20% tax relief on medical expenses through Revenue. Keep your receipts or ask us for an annual statement.
Reviewed by Deirdre O’Donovan MPSI, pharmacist (registered since 1981), Laois Pharmacy, Portlaoise. Correct as of July 2026 — the cap amount is set by the HSE and can change.
