When you reach your government limit for your scripts and you are on a pension, one of the local chemists here told a friend (no, really, it wasn’t me! I don’t do drugs!) that they had to accept the generic, not the brand on the doctor’s script. Or they had to pay full price for the branded drug. Is this right?
buffy said:
When you reach your government limit for your scripts and you are on a pension, one of the local chemists here told a friend (no, really, it wasn’t me! I don’t do drugs!) that they had to accept the generic, not the brand on the doctor’s script. Or they had to pay full price for the branded drug. Is this right?
I’m due to reach the safety next this week.
“When a patient reaches the Safety Net threshold within a calendar year, they qualify to receive PBS or RPBS items at a cheaper price or free of charge for the rest of that year. Any applicable special patient contributions, brand premiums or therapeutic group premiums must still be met by the patient.”
From http://www.pbs.gov.au/info/healthpro/explanatory-notes/section1/Section_1_5_Explanatory_Notes
buffy said:
When you reach your government limit for your scripts and you are on a pension, one of the local chemists here told a friend (no, really, it wasn’t me! I don’t do drugs!) that they had to accept the generic, not the brand on the doctor’s script. Or they had to pay full price for the branded drug. Is this right?
Ha, what a jerk. Generics have no fee and will be free once you’ve reached the PBS Safety Net.
The ‘brand name’ drugs may or may not be free, some of them have a brand price premium.
e.g. Alphagan eye drops are $1.40 when you’re on the safety net whereas the generic, Enidin, is free. However Xalatan is free and so is the generic, so there is no direct saving to the patient (it just saves the PBS money).
Sorry, I’m confused. She should be able to get the branded one and just pay the brand premium? She was told she had to pay full price – whatever that means. Don’t know what sort of drugs are involved. I didn’t say friend of a friend because it sounds even more dodgy. But it was my receptionist’s friend. Might be a cholesterol drug. C could ask, and then I could get back to you tomorrow.
Thanks, anyway.
buffy said:
Sorry, I’m confused. She should be able to get the branded one and just pay the brand premium? She was told she had to pay full price – whatever that means. Don’t know what sort of drugs are involved. I didn’t say friend of a friend because it sounds even more dodgy. But it was my receptionist’s friend. Might be a cholesterol drug. C could ask, and then I could get back to you tomorrow.
Thanks, anyway.
No full price, you may pay a little extra depending on the ‘brand’
e.g. Keflex is $11.70 on a pension card, when you reach the safety net, Keflex is now $5.40. Generic of Keflex is $6.30 on a pension card, when you reach the safety net, generic Keflex is $0.00
Not all originator/brand name drugs have a premium, so will be free as well, no charge.
buffy said:
Sorry, I’m confused. She should be able to get the branded one and just pay the brand premium? She was told she had to pay full price – whatever that means. Don’t know what sort of drugs are involved. I didn’t say friend of a friend because it sounds even more dodgy. But it was my receptionist’s friend. Might be a cholesterol drug. C could ask, and then I could get back to you tomorrow.
Thanks, anyway.
It is plain wrong to say they have to pay full price.
Thanks. I’ve suggested she pop out to the Dunkeld pharmacy, where drugs are cheaper than here in Hamilton anyway, and partake of coffee and cake at Dunkeld Delights while she is there.
buffy said:
Thanks. I’ve suggested she pop out to the Dunkeld pharmacy, where drugs are cheaper than here in Hamilton anyway, and partake of coffee and cake at Dunkeld Delights while she is there.
Indeed. Aren’t there two pharmacies in Hamilton?
poikilotherm said:
buffy said:Thanks. I’ve suggested she pop out to the Dunkeld pharmacy, where drugs are cheaper than here in Hamilton anyway, and partake of coffee and cake at Dunkeld Delights while she is there.
Indeed. Aren’t there two pharmacies in Hamilton?
Yes. Perhaps she should just try the other one. But Dunkeld Delights…
:)