Members of the public are reminded that a fee will be charged on each prescription that is dispensed by private participating pharmacies, from tomorrow.
However, beneficiaries will still receive drugs free of cost at point of service at public pharmacies and outpatient clinics. The dispensing fees are as follows: If the drug costs between one cent and two dollars, the dispensing fee is $5 minus the cost of the drug.
For medication priced over $2 and up to $10, the dispensing fee is $5. If the drug costs more than $10 but no more than $20, the dispensing fee is $7. For medicines in the price range of $20 and up to a maximum of $40, the dispensing fee is $12. If the drug costs more than $40, the dispensing fee will be 30 per cent of the cost of the drug.
These changes were announced by Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Chris Sinckler, in the 2010 Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals. They were designed to address the escalating expenditure of the Barbados Drug Service (BDS) over the years.
