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Q: Why is private prescription price cheaper than the price under Medicare for some medicines?
I compared prices of 5 prescription medicines that I had to buy. All five of them are cheaper if purchased as a “private script”. Medicare card holders are eligible to check private script price as well as the price under medicare (called NHS price) and choose the cheaper one.
These are the five medicines I checked.
Elidel
Micardis 40mg
Diabex 500mg
Voltaren 50mg
Panadeine forte
I called Medicare but they woldn’t comment on why “private” script prices is cheaper. NHS price is the range of prices that Medicare Australia has agreed with phramacies for prescription prices. They also said if we buy medicine as a “medicare script” and pay the higher price, the excess does NOT get passed back to Medicare Australia but stays with the pharmacy.
The only disadvantage is that the “private scripts” do not count towards the PBS Safety net.
Ozmanic, I bought Micardis, Diabex and another this morning from Priceline pharmacy for $26.20 and the same pharmacy said it cost $23.xx if the script is private. Medicare said NHS stipulates a price range for Micardis 40mg (28 tblts) that start from 22.xx and goes to 26.xx and pharmacies are free to sell within that range. All three medicines I bought today have a lower price for Private script and this from a real pharmacy in my suburb, not from online one.
I paid $17.50 for Diabex 500mg (100 tblts) and the private script price was $15.50.
I paid $18.15 for Diamicron 30mg (100 tblts) and the private script price was 16.xx.
This is from my local pharmacy
Check this online pharmacy link for Micardis 40mg (28 tblts)
http://epharmacy.com.au/product.asp?id=6244&pname=Micardis+40mg+Tablets+28
If you buy with NHS prices, it is $22.24 + postage. If you buy as a private script, $17.50 + postage.
The online pharmacy I linked is Brisbane based and they offer free pick up. Further, they have linked with Chemists Warehouse chain. They say on their web site that most prices are the same at local Chemists Warehouse stores.
The bottom line is this. If we buy under a “medicare prescription”, their is a minimum NHS value that the pharmacy cannot go beyond. The same pharmacy is happy to sell at a lower price under a “private script” which I found baffling.
I don’t understand why Medicare has to specify a minimum value. Why would they care if the pharmacy is happy to sell bellow that price? As far as I can see, Medicare has to specify only a maximum value but it is not the case.
I would understand if Medicare uses this “excess” charge to subsidise the PBS scheme for more expensive medicines, but that is not the case either because the “excess” stays in the pharmacy.
Aussie,
I didn’t question about my local community pharmacy’s prices comparing with large networks.
I questioned why for ALL three medicines I bought, my local community pharmacy sells them cheaper if the script is private. Micardis 40mg was $26.10 and this was neither bottom end nor a cheaper product. Surely, lack of buying power of a local community pharmacy has nothing to do with this since I am comparing prices at the same local pharmacy.
My question is why it is cheaper to buy the same medicine as a “private script” than a “medicare script” from the same pharmacy”?
Why does Medicare stipulate an agreed minimum value? As far I can see, this is the reason for this anomaly.
A: The NHS is very complicated….the margins for pharmacies is negotiated between the government & the Pharmacy Guild every 5 years & takes into account a dispensing fee which is a part of their pricing structure .
You need to consider that your small suburban pharmacy is there to provide a community service & doesn’t have the buying power of the large groups.
All of the discounting offers out there are not on NHS listed products ,. just private scripts …..where a NHS line is cheaper than the government agreed markup & dispensing fee you get the kind of anomaly that you have mentioned….it’s only on the bottom end , cheaper products .
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