Drug rationing leads to spike in dispensing fees

By Gillian Slade

Southern Alberta Newspapers

Alberta Health’s decision last month that pharmacists renew prescriptions for only one month, rather than three, has resulted in more dispensing fees particularly for those without private insurance. Blue Cross coverage will include a lower co-payment of up to $8 per prescription for a 30-day supply rather than $25 per prescription.

Those without private medical insurance are now paying three dispensing fees at about $12.10 each time for a total of more than $36 instead of one fee to cover three months.

The Alberta government says the 30-day supply limit was necessary to manage the supply of drugs.

“With the global medication supply crisis, all provinces have adopted this policy to ensure medications are available to everyone. Although the decision was not taken lightly, the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association (RxA) understands this may potentially increase costs to some patients,” said Kendall Franklin, manager of communications Alberta Pharmacists’ Association (RxA).

Franklin says pharmacies are facing increased costs due to extra supplies, management of increased prescriptions, addition of protective barriers, increased cleaning, personal protection equipment for staff and increased deliveries which are not subsidized by government.

“Dispensing fees help pay staff wages and keep a pharmacy functioning,” said Franklin. “The shorter medication supply was not implemented to make pharmacists more money. It creates more work for pharmacists to help protect our first priority: patients.”

Kendall says pharmacists are considering a patient’s ability to pay on a case by case basis.

A spokesperson for Alberta Health says the 30-day supply is “not mandatory and pharmacists are expected to exercise professional judgment when applying it with the patient’s best interest in mind”.