Health Services Minister Justin Wright unveils new Alberta three-year pharmacy funding deal

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Wright said fees for prescriptions lasting less than 84 days will rise from $12.15 to $12.35, while fees for prescriptions of 84 days or longer will increase to $13.50.

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The province will also launch a pilot project this fall at selected pharmacies in rural and remote communities, allowing participating pharmacies to provide additional services, including health screenings, point-of-care testing and assessments for acute conditions.

Wright said the pilot is intended to improve access to care in communities where residents may have limited access to physicians or clinics and often travel long distances for health services.

The agreement also introduces a monthly billing cap of $13,000 every 28 days for clinical pharmacy services.

According to Wright, the measure is intended to monitor unusually high billing levels and support the long-term sustainability of pharmacy funding.

Additional changes include the creation of a daily dispensing list to ensure daily dispensing fees are used appropriately and a maintenance medication list encouraging prescriptions lasting between 84 and 100 days for stable chronic conditions.

Aileen Jang, President of the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association, said the agreement provides funding certainty for pharmacies and recognizes the growing role pharmacists play in delivering primary care services across the province.

During a question-and-answer session, Wright said the rural pharmacy pilot is primarily intended for smaller communities with limited access to health-care services rather than larger centres such as Medicine Hat, although specific locations have not yet been announced.

Wright also said discussions continue regarding coverage and funding for some specialized pharmacy services and medications.

On a separate issue, he said the province has commissioned the Institute for Health Economics to conduct an Alberta-specific cost-effectiveness and feasibility analysis to guide RSV prevention for future seasons.

The funding framework follows negotiations between the Alberta government, Alberta Blue Cross and the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association over the past two years.