It’s from anothert forum but I thought that I might re-post here as it deals with a lot of the bullshit that Harney & Co have been putting out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aspro View Post
Harney statement that fees have doubled over a period of years has stuck in the public mind. Firstly is this true? Secondly what are the factors, over 70’s,
medical inflation ? We need to nail this if possible.
Have fees doubled?
In a sense – yes. The total amount paid by the HSE has roughly doubled in the last six years. The individual dispensing fees haven’t doubled although this is what the Minister would like the public to believe.
Secondly, the entire health budget has doubled. Have we seen commensurate increases in productivity across the HSE? I think not.
Why? What are the driving factors?
The volume and value of medicines dispensed have increased dramatically:
Number of eligible patients has increased in all schemes
Average number of items per Rx has increased
Average item cost has increased – newer, more expensive drugs replacing older, cheaper ones
Cardiac strategy – think of all the statins and ACE inhibitors that are now prescribed for patients simply at risk of CV disease but showing no symptoms e.g. diabetics
Was the money wasted?
Life expectancy has increased; many previously debilitating illnesses are now controlled by medication; hospitalisation is less frequent for many patient groups eg. cystic fibrosis, diabetes, . Patients are living longer, healthier lives. Is that a waste of money? You tell me, Minister.
Why hasn’t my income doubled?
There are 20-25% more pharmacies sharing the increased volume of dispensing fees between them
Your costs (property costs, staff costs, rates, waste charges etc) have increased faster than inflation
Newer medications are more expensive and frequently have shorter expiry dates. Wastage through out-of-dates in pharmacies is becoming more prevalent and far more expensive.