TO PAY or not to pay. That’s the scenario facing some Barbadians after Government’s Budget proposal last week that patients pay a user fee for medication from private pharmacies.
But the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) is taking a pragmatic approach to the new development and sees it as part of Government’s strategy to control spending.
“The situation we are in, there is a need for development and growth and at the same time, we need to close this Budget deficit . . . ,” said BARP’s president Ernest Batson.
“It is not a matter that we are for it or against it. This is a measure that would close the deficit. We now have a choice and we have to plan for that.
“We are not living in a perfect world, and if we were to scream and shout that would not make it better. I don’t think they will reverse it overnight.”
Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler, giving the background to the new tax during the Budget Speech, said the Barbados Drug Service was established in 1980 to ensure that every citizen gained access to drugs “free of cost” at point of service from the public sector pharmacies, but with an option of co-payment if beneficiaries decided to receive the drugs from private sector pharmacies.
He said it was changed subsequently and all formulary drugs were made available to citizens free of cost irrespective of whether the prescription was filled in the public or private pharmacies.
“In addition, the number of chronic illnesses for which free drugs were provided was increased.”
Sinckler said that expenditure under the scheme had risen astronomically over the years such that the very viability of the scheme was threatened.
“The cost of the provision of free drugs has risen from $9.2 million in the financial year 1992/1993 to $49 million by 2009/2010.”
As a result, and “to ensure that Barbadians continue to enjoy free drugs”, Sinckler proposed that effective April 1 next year “persons who have their prescriptions filled in private pharmacies will pay a dispensing fee” as follows:
Drug Cost $ Amount to be paid by Patient
$0.01 – $2.00 $5.00 – Drug Cost
$2.01 – $10.00 $5.00
10.01 – $20.00 $7.00
$20.01 – $40.00 $12.00
Over $40.00, 30 per cent of the cost of the drug.
