Expects to save $11 million annually

In an effort to curb the cost prescriptions the Province of Manitoba will be introducing a cap on the dispensing fees that pharmacies can charge.

“When pharmacists fill a prescription, they charge what is known as a dispensing or professional fee to cover costs of storing and preparing medication, as well as providing services to clients,” saidHealth, Seniors and Active Living Minister Kelvin Goertzen.  “As in other provinces and territories that have a cap on these fees, pharmacies will be able to recover costs for providing services, with reduced costs for patients and programs that are paying for prescriptions.”

Currently, in Manitoba pharmacies can charge a professional fee that is not regulated and varies from store to store. The fee is to offset the overhead costs pharmacies have related to drug dispensing. Depending on where you go the fees can be significant for patients as well as the provincial drug plans such as Pharmacare, the Palliative Care Drug Access Program and the Home Cancer Drug Program.

“In Manitoba, approximately 97 per cent of dispensing fees on pharmacare claims are less than $30.  However, about three per cent of fees are more than $30 and in some cases, exceed $900,” said Goertzen.  “Careful consideration was given to these changes and Manitoba is now more in line with fees in other provinces.”

The cap will become effective on August 18, 2017, that will limit provincial drug programs from being charged more than $30 per prescription. The new cap will allow an additional $30 per prescription that require drugs to be compounded in sterile conditions.

Also in order to reduce dispensing fees, pharmacists will be encouraged to minimize the number of times a drug is dispensed for chronic conditions. In other words dispensing a three month supply instead of a one month supply. This action alone would reduce fees by 2 thirds.

In 2016-2017 the province spent more than $54 million on dispensing fees. The changes are expected to save the government approximately $11 million annually.

-News 4-

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