Prescription drug program – Reimbursement
Pharmacy fee reimbursement
Under agreement with pharmacy proprietors, the prescription cost of a drug is calculated by adding the acquisition cost of the drug material, the dispensing fee and the additional inventory allowance. A transitional allowance will be included for a three year period starting from April 1, 2010.From April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012, the dispensing fee and additional inventory allowance shall not exceed the following for each prescription dispensed:
| Acquisition cost | Dispensing fee |
Additional inventory allowance |
| Acquisition cost: to $74.99 | $10.22 | $2.71* |
| Acquisition cost: $75–149.99 | $15.53 | $2.00 |
| Acquisition cost: $150 and more | $20.94 | $5.03 |
- For insulin and oral contraceptives, the prescription charge must not exceed the acquisition cost of the drug product times 5/3.
- For injectable drugs other than insulin, the prescription charge must not exceed the acquisition cost of the injectable drugs times 5/3, to a maximum of $100 more than the acquisition cost of the injectable drug.
- For compounded prescriptions that require more than seven minutes for preparation, the additional charge for compounding must not exceed 75 cents per minute for each minute in excess of seven minutes.
- The transitional allowance applies to prescriptions with an AAC of between $0.00 and $74.99 with the exception of insulin, oral contraceptives, injectables, diabetic supplies, Alberta Public Health Activities Program (APHAP) and the Pharmacy Practice Models Initiative (PPMI).
* The additional inventory allowance field has been increased to allow for a transitional allowance to be incorporated. The transitional allowance will apply as follows:
| April 1, 2010 – March 31, 2011 | $3.71 |
| April 1, 2011 – March 31, 2012 | $2.71 |
| April 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013 | $1.71 |
| April 1, 2013 – March 31, 2014 | $0.71 |
