The Ministry of Health has submitted proposals that the government will consider at the upcoming meeting.
So, at the upcoming Cabinet of Ministers meeting on Tuesday, June 9, changes prepared by the Ministry of Health regarding the payment procedure for pharmacist services are set to be adopted. Recall that since last year, when the drug pricing reform came into effect, a fee of 75 cents was introduced for pharmacist services. Specifically, the patient paid 75 cents out of pocket, while the state covered the other 75 cents for servicing each prescription. The Ministry of Health proposes to exempt residents of Latvia from this payment if the cost of the non-reimbursed prescription medication does not exceed 10 euros. Residents would also be exempt from this payment when purchasing medications that are reimbursed at 75% and whose pharmacy price per package is up to 10 euros; pregnant women (diagnosis code Z 33) and women within 70 days postpartum (diagnosis code Z 39_2) when purchasing medications specified for the mentioned diagnoses from the list of reimbursable medications M, and whose pharmacy price per package is up to 10 euros; and individuals with Group I disabilities when purchasing any prescription medications. It is worth noting that the pharmacy price per package of up to 10 euros includes 10 euros.
In addition, the draft regulations stipulate that the full cost of pharmacist services for prescription medications will no longer be covered by the state budget for Ukrainian civilians, who will subsequently have to cover the pharmacist service fee of 0.75 euros from their personal funds.
The exemption from such payments for medications costing up to 10 euros will come into effect on July 1 of this year, while Group I disabled individuals will be exempt from such payments for pharmacist services for any prescription medications starting September 1.
