Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 September 2014
1003. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health the difference between the reimbursable price of a medicine and the actual over-the-counter cost; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is often a very significant difference in the prices and that this has an impact to those people eligible for drugs payment scheme refunds; if he will address this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33882/14]
View answerDrugs and medicines which are paid for by the Health Service Executive (HSE), have prices set in accordance with the provisions of the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 or the terms of the agreements between the Department of Health and the HSE and the respective bodies for pharmaceutical manufacturers in Ireland. However, neither the Minister for Health or the HSE has the power to set the prices of drugs and medicines purchased by private patients.
The Drugs Payment Scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines. Under the scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines.
The Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 introduced a system of generic substitution and reference pricing. Reference pricing involves the setting of a common reimbursement price, or reference price, for a group of interchangeable products. It means that one reference price is set for each group or list of interchangeable medicines, and this is the price the Health Service Executive (HSE) will reimburse to pharmacists for all medicines in the group, regardless of the individual medicine's prices.
Eligible patients using State drug schemes like the Medical Card or Drugs Payment Scheme will not face any additional costs for products priced at or below the reference price. If a patient would like to receive a particular brand that costs more than the reference price then the patient will have to pay the additional cost of that product. In cases where substitution is prohibited for clinical reasons, patients will not face any additional costs if the prescribed product costs more than the reference price.
The HSE advises the public that if they are being charged prices which exceed the reimbursement price listed on the HSE website (http://www.pcrs.ie/), plus a dispensing fee of between €3.50 and €5, then they should discuss the differential with their pharmacist to ensure they get the best possible price for the medicine concerned.
In addition, measures have been taken to increase price transparency among retail pharmacies. In March of this year the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland issued guidelines to pharmacists on procedures and minimum standards of information to be provided to customers, including a requirement to provide an itemised receipt of purchase of medicines.
