Home Price Change Mechanism
As prices in the market are constantly changing, there is an agreed mechanism in place to increase and decrease the reimbursement prices for medicines.
For proprietary preparations and Part VIII products where the price is based on a proprietary product (e.g. most Part VIII Category C products), a price change up to and including the 8th of the month takes effect for prescriptions dispensed in the following month. A price change after the 8th of the month will be applied for reimbursement purposes to prescriptions dispensed one month later.
For example, if the manufacturer's list price for a proprietary product changed on the 6th of February, the new reimbursement price would apply to prescriptions dispensed in March. If a manufacturer's list price changed on the 15th February, the new reimbursement price would apply to prescriptions dispensed in April.
For non-proprietary or generic drugs (excluding products in Part VIII, Category M) the reimbursement price change takes place one month earlier that proprietary medicines. For example, if the manufacturer's list price changed on the 6th of February, the new reimbursement price would apply to prescriptions dispensed in February. If a manufacturer's list price for a generic drug changed on the 15th February, the new reimbursement price would apply to prescriptions dispensed in March.
The reimbursement prices of category M medicines are changed quarterly.
PSNC keeps the proprietary and non-proprietary price change mechanism under close review. Over the years the current agreement has had a neutral effect on pharmacy contractors' reimbursement given that prices decrease as well as increase from time to time.
The prices of Category M products change on a quarterly basis. More information on Category M price changes is available in the funding section of the site.
For more information please contact the PSNC Information Team: 01296 432823
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