’No one can work for free’: Alberta Pharmacists’ Association says cuts will hurt care

'If you’re a patient that is a diabetic and you’re continually getting your medication adjusted or those types of things and you need to be followed up on, say, on a monthly basis, now we’re limited to doing it four times a year'

EDMONTON — The Alberta Pharmacists’ Association says upcoming government cuts to service compensation fees will have a big impact on pharmacists and also patient care.

Health Minister Adriana LaGrange announced on social media Tuesday that the government is reducing reimbursements for two services that pharmacists provide in an attempt to curtail spending. The province is on track to surpass its $670-million pharmacy services budget by $30 million this year.

The main cut is to the fee that pharmacists charge the government for an initial patient assessment for a comprehensive annual care plan.

Currently, pharmacists can be reimbursed $100 for undertaking that assessment. As of Nov. 1, it will be $70.

The government is also cutting the number of annual care plan followup appointments for which pharmacists can be reimbursed to four per year from 12.

“The decision to make these changes to these pharmacy services has taken into consideration the financial sustainability of both government and pharmacies, while minimizing the impact to service quality and access to primary care for Albertans,” LaGrange wrote in a letter to pharmacists.