Pharmacy dispensing charge... did you know?

Fatscally

My jaw hit the counter when the lady in Boots told me about this;
Each prescription item that she dispenses includes a €5 "dispensing" charge. So if you get 3 prescription items they take €15 for handing them out to you. If you go back next month they hit you for another €15. This matters for people that might be on regular things like the pill.
She assured me that this is "industry" standard and thus I wasn't being ripped off.
I thought the 300-400% markup was enough for them but I obviously don't know what I'm talking about.

It never ends on this island.:(


...oh and I almost forgot to mention that none of this gets printed on your receipt. I asked her why not, how am I supposed to know how much the drugs cost and she responded with a question "do you want a hand written receipt?".

daddydick

Dispensing fees have always been around, and it's not just in Ireland

Fatscally

Isn't it just an exploit? You can't get them anywhere else. Or it's not noted on your receipt so there's no incentive to shop for competition.
But seriously a fiver for handing over a packet! I can't see how it's so much more work than handing out a pack of sweets or a lottery ticket. I was stunned and sickened to think it was going to cost me €15 per month for the next 6 months.

whippet

go somewhere else !!

I had to get a course of antibiotics (first time in years) with a prescription from the dentist. Went in the the pharmacy next door (in drogheda) and was astounded when I was charged the princely sum of €3.97 for the four day course. The worst part was I had to break a fiver.

Fatscally

whippet wrote: »

go somewhere else !!

I had to get a course of antibiotics (first time in years) with a prescription from the dentist. Went in the the pharmacy next door (in drogheda) and was astounded when I was charged the princely sum of €3.97 for the four day course. The worst part was I had to break a fiver.

Thank you for taking the time out of your day for the sole purpose of being sarcastic with me (a stranger to you) on the internet, not.

"She assured me that this is "industry" standard"

number10a

I never heard of this. I thought it was either you pay full whack as a private patient, or you pay 50c because you have a medical card. Why are you being hit with this, OP?

whippet

Fatscally wrote: »

Thank you for taking the time out of your day for the sole purpose of being sarcastic with me (a stranger to you) on the internet, not.

I wasn't being sarcastic .. I was pointing out that you don't need to pay this charge - (while also showing my surprise of how cheap it was to fulfill a prescription) !!

There are plenty of retailers and service providers putting surcharges on everything from Phone Credit, Fuel levys etc .. some justified some absolutely not.

As far as I know the mark-up on prescription drugs in ireland is quite large and any retailer (especially a multiple like Boots) who thinks they are entitle to an extra fee for popping the pilling in to a bag or bottle should be avoided.

run_Forrest_run

I also asked a particular Pharmacist chain about this and was told they have no say over how the dispensing fee is calculated. I was told the Pharmacy Union of Ireland controls this.
When I am not getting my inhalers (asthma) I get them all in one go so they only charge me one dispensing fee.

Welcome to the real world OP, I just hope you never end up having a few children who need medicines regularly (and aren't on the cosy medical card scheme that is)

PammyD

I never heard of this until now... WOW!! Id go with the last comment and fill all prescriptions together and only pay one fee.. Or check around and see if all chemists do this,..

Fatscally

whippet wrote: »

I wasn't being sarcastic ...

Sorry, it struck me as such. A course of ABs for under a fiver?!

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

Welcome to the real world OP, I just hope you never end up having a few children who need medicines regularly (and aren't on the cosy medical card scheme that is)

Good for you being so (real) worldly that you know the Ins and Outs of it all. For me it was a bit of a shock and I'm sure it will be for many more.

If you are near a Tesco pharmacy try them. I found them to be 20% cheaper than my local Pharmacy. Saving around €100 per year on my repeat prescription.

Transpirant

Fatscally wrote: »

My jaw hit the counter when the lady in Boots told me about this;
Each prescription item that she dispenses includes a €5 "dispensing" charge. So if you get 3 prescription items they take €15 for handing them out to you. If you go back next month they hit you for another €15. This matters for people that might be on regular things like the pill.
She assured me that this is "industry" standard and thus I wasn't being ripped off.
I thought the 300-400% markup was enough for them but I obviously don't know what I'm talking about.

It never ends on this island.:(


...oh and I almost forgot to mention that none of this gets printed on your receipt. I asked her why not, how am I supposed to know how much the drugs cost and she responded with a question "do you want a hand written receipt?".

So why did you go there???

Boots are a British Pharmacy!

borderlinemeath

Transpirant wrote: »

So why did you go there???

Boots are a British Pharmacy!

So what? Lots of companies that operate here are British or multinational. If you actually checked you would see that Boots are in fact owned by an american private equity firm.

But why let facts get in the way of giving out about the Brits eh?:rolleyes:

partyatmygaff

Dispensing fees aren't anything new and they're not restricted to Ireland either. It's a Pharmacy after all, not a newsagent.

rose14

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

I also asked a particular Pharmacist chain about this and was told they have no say over how the dispensing fee is calculated. I was told the Pharmacy Union of Ireland controls this.
When I am not getting my inhalers (asthma) I get them all in one go so they only charge me one dispensing fee.

Welcome to the real world OP, I just hope you never end up having a few children who need medicines regularly (and aren't on the cosy medical card scheme that is)

I didn't know this charge existed either - and whether we have children or not (which I do) is irrelevant. So if we don't have kids we can be glad we won't be going to chemist as much? Typical Irish attitude, we should be campaigning for cheaper pharmacy costs in this Country. Also, a pharmacy won't dispense numerous months of the pill at once or most medications actually and now I understand why, they'll miss out on their fiver. It's not the same in every Country, you can get inhalers over the counter in Spain and at a fraction of the cost.

And to the last comment of "it's not a newsagents" - it's not much harder and if it takes €5 compensation per item for the pharmacist to dispense a packet of tablets then maybe they are working beyond their intelligence and skill sets and should start serving OK magazine instead, less taxing for the poor devils.

borderlinemeath

rose14 wrote: »

I didn't know this charge existed either - and whether we have children or not (which I do) is irrelevant. So if we don't have kids we can be glad we won't be going to chemist as much? Typical Irish attitude, we should be campaigning for cheaper pharmacy costs in this Country. Also, a pharmacy won't dispense numerous months of the pill at once or most medications actually and now I understand why, they'll miss out on their fiver. It's not the same in every Country, you can get inhalers over the counter in Spain and at a fraction of the cost.

Stating that something can be got in another European country at a lesser cost is not stating a rip off. If you want to pay spanish prices then move to Spain and earn a typical spanish wage.

And to the last comment of "it's not a newsagents" - it's not much harder and if it takes €5 compensation per item for the pharmacist to dispense a packet of tablets then maybe they are working beyond their intelligence and skill sets and should start serving OK magazine instead, less taxing for the poor devils.

Nothing to do with intelligence levels for the pharmacist or the newsagent. More like the intelligence levels that don't seem to understand that pharmacists have to do a 4 year degree and then 1 years training in an approved pharmacy under the tutelage of a qualified pharamacist. Not necessary for the newsagent who might be just as smart as the scholar but doesn't have to endure the time and expense. Or the fact that if they dispense the incorrect meds they could kill somebody.

partyatmygaff

rose14 wrote: »

I didn't know this charge existed either - and whether we have children or not (which I do) is irrelevant. So if we don't have kids we can be glad we won't be going to chemist as much? Typical Irish attitude, we should be campaigning for cheaper pharmacy costs in this Country.

They've already been slashed over the past few years. The main reason for the high cost of medicines in Ireland are the wholesalers.

Also, a pharmacy won't dispense numerous months of the pill at once or most medications actually and now I understand why, they'll miss out on their fiver.

It's not safe to give people huge quantities of a drug. For one, it could degrade and in the interest of patient safety and preventing wastage pharmacists give only what's required and no more.

It's not the same in every Country, you can get inhalers over the counter in Spain and at a fraction of the cost.

You can probably get antibiotics OTC in some countries too. There's a reason for certain drugs being prescription only.

And to the last comment of "it's not a newsagents" - it's not much harder and if it takes €5 compensation per item for the pharmacist to dispense a packet of tablets then maybe they are working beyond their intelligence and skill sets and should start serving OK magazine instead, less taxing for the poor devils.

Do you even realise the role of a pharmacist? If you think their job is to pick boxes off shelves and pack them in a bag for you, you're sorely mistaken.

Motorist

rose14 wrote: »

I didn't know this charge existed either - and whether we have children or not (which I do) is irrelevant. So if we don't have kids we can be glad we won't be going to chemist as much? Typical Irish attitude, we should be campaigning for cheaper pharmacy costs in this Country. Also, a pharmacy won't dispense numerous months of the pill at once or most medications actually and now I understand why, they'll miss out on their fiver. It's not the same in every Country, you can get inhalers over the counter in Spain and at a fraction of the cost.

And to the last comment of "it's not a newsagents" - it's not much harder and if it takes €5 compensation per item for the pharmacist to dispense a packet of tablets then maybe they are working beyond their intelligence and skill sets and should start serving OK magazine instead, less taxing for the poor devils.

Do you complain that a doctor charges you more than the price of a sheet of paper and the ink on it (around 5 cent) when he sees you and prints a prescription also? Do you complain also if a physiotherapist charges you more than the cost of the electricity to light the bulb in their consultation room?

People like you, imho, are the first to try and sue though if you received wrong medication from your GP. The newsagent has no professional responsibility, specialist expertise or liability. You probably wouldn't understand that though, it's not your fault.

Fatscally

Jaysis lads I just wanted yis to know about a fee that isn't printed on the receipt. Now yis are all going at each other's throats. Wtf like?

wmpdd3

i was always offered the full perscription in one go 'to save money' but i never knew this was why.

it should be on the receipt.

so if you get 8 items that add up to €170, the government will pay the dispensing fee.

partyatmygaff

wmpdd3 wrote: »

i was always offered the full perscription in one go 'to save money' but i never knew this was why.

I'm fairly sure it doesn't make a difference. Dispensing fees are usually per item dispensed. E.g. for a phased dispensing (1 month --> Four dispensings a month) there's a dispensing fee for each.

so if you get 8 items that add up to €170, the government will pay the dispensing fee.

If you spend over €132 on medicines in any one month in any one pharmacy you're best suited to the drug payment scheme. After you pass €132 a month, most medicines will be paid for by the government dispensing fees and all.

snubbleste

I'm shocked OP, you did not know this.. There is a dispensing fee for all medicines, for example: €3.27 applies for medical card holders and is paid for by the State.
Have a look at page 3
www.attorneygeneral.ie/esi/2009/B26980.pdf

partyatmygaff

It's actually 5-4.50-3.50 on a sliding scale depending on how many dispensings take place every month. €3.27 is for phased prescriptions.

Fatscally

snubbleste wrote: »

I'm shocked OP, you did not know this..

I'm shocked I didn't know this either! You'd think they'd put it on the receipt up front. I just don't get sick often and don't take a lot of medicine. It's only that my lil girl got hit with a virus that I ended up on this road of discovery.

Tails142

The whole doctor/prescription/pharmacist hoopla is a racket thinly veiled as 'patient safety'.

No advertising on rates/fees, no competition and little interest in serving the 'customer'.

If anyone in the industry had any interest in patient health drugs would be free?

whiterebel

partyatmygaff wrote: »

I'm fairly sure it doesn't make a difference. Dispensing fees are usually per item dispensed. E.g. for a phased dispensing (1 month --> Four dispensings a month) there's a dispensing fee for each.

No, I asked in McCauley's today. She didn't like it either, and referred to the Pharmacist. They will give you all the stuff in one go if you have a 6 month prescription. She said they advise people of this, but I have never been asked. I'll be getting them all in one go next time.

partyatmygaff

Tails142 wrote: »

The whole doctor/prescription/pharmacist hoopla is a racket thinly veiled as 'patient safety'.

Not really. Drugs aren't inherently safe. There's a need for strict regulation and patient consultation when it comes to most prescription drugs.

No advertising on rates/fees, no competition and little interest in serving the 'customer'.

Why would they advertise rates/fees? They're more or less standard across the country. Also, it's nothing to do with serving "customers". You're not just paying for a piece of paper with words on it from a doctor and a box of tablets from your pharmacist. You're also paying for their expertise.

Ultimately, what's important is that the patient gets some form of a therapeutic benefit out of using the medicine.

If anyone in the industry had any interest in patient health drugs would be free?

How do you propose that those working in healthcare survive? Developing a drug and bringing it to the market costs millions and carries huge risks. Someone has to pay for it at some point in the process.

beanhead

I buy my perscription<removed>

Buying prescription meds online is illegal in Ireland, even with a valid prescription.

rubadub

I know a guy who got a prescription for his daughter, he didn't know what it was for. Went in and the server goes over and picks up some nurofen off the shelf (i.e. OTC drug) and was asking for extra, I think €6 extra. They were probably Nurofen plus with codeine which I know some pharmacists will not give out too easily, but they are still OTC

He looks at her like shes mad and says no thanks after she confirms they are just OTC, then gets them again right away and doesn't pay the charge.

My dentist was going to write me a prescription for neurofen plus too, but I said no as I already had a load of them (generics I bought online from the UK for pittance, got the site from a nurse I know in vincents who says loads of the doctors & nurses buy all their OTC meds online.)

I later wished I had got the prescription to see if they would try the same on me.

rose14

borderlinemeath wrote: »

Stating that something can be got in another European country at a lesser cost is not stating a rip off. If you want to pay spanish prices then move to Spain and earn a typical spanish wage.

I ddin't mention Spain's OTC as a reference to rip offs here in Ireland, someone said this dispensing charge was not just in Ireland as though it's the same everywhere and I was making the point that it's not all the same everywhere. e.g the inhalers OTC.

borderlinemeath wrote: »

Nothing to do with intelligence levels for the pharmacist or the newsagent. More like the intelligence levels that don't seem to understand that pharmacists have to do a 4 year degree and then 1 years training in an approved pharmacy under the tutelage of a qualified pharamacist. Not necessary for the newsagent who might be just as smart as the scholar but doesn't have to endure the time and expense. Or the fact that if they dispense the incorrect meds they could kill somebody.

I totally understand that pharmacists have to train and it takes many years. They don't need to charge a fiver a time to re-coup these fees, they already have their mark-up price on the drugs in the first place. You don't need to make comments on my intelligence levels, again someone else had mentioned the newsagents and I said if what they are trained to do it too taxing for them maybe they should resort back to selling something easy like magazines. You do realise every job has years of training don't you and we don't all charge a fee on top of our wages to do our job. But then maybe everyone else does and I should too. and maybe that is why Ireland is such a rip off cos' they expect to be paid more than they are worth.

People really do underestimate the work that pharmacists do.:( I'd be more worried about the link-selling that is slowly creeping into irish pharmacies.