Careful with pharmacy rebate cuts: critics
Posted Sep 21, 2010 06:08:07 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Pharmacists and opposition critics are raising concerns over a plan to cut the province’s prescription drug costs.
Health Minister Maureen MacDonald has announced a five-point plan to address spiraling expenses.
Of greatest concern is a plan to reduce the rebate pharmacies collect from drug companies for stocking brand name drugs.
Progressive Conservative Health Critic Chris d’Entremont tells News 95.7 those rebates are keeping small rural drugstores in business.
“Because the volume is so much less they need to have some kind of other revenue source, and the revenue source that’s been provided to them by the larger companies has been a bit of a rebate,” he said. “We want to make sure that we don’t impact them too negatively and take dollars away so that they end up closing.”
Allison Bodnar with the Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia says in addition to helping with operating costs the rebates help pharmacies provide additional services.
“The actual cost of dispensing prescriptions in Nova Scotia far exceeds what a pharmacy is reimbursed,” she said. “When you do the math, they have to be paid somewhere. It is those rebates that have been supporting the actual cost of delivering dispensing services and the number of free services that Nova Scotians have been enjoying within their pharmacies for a number of years.
Both d’Entremont and Bodnar say they’re happy the government plans to consult with stakeholders on all sides of the issue.
