Chemotherapy changes
September 15, 2011
THE latest issue of Medicare
Australia’s ‘Bulletin Board’
newsletter for pharmacists, issued
today, includes a further reminder
about the changes to prescribing
and dispensing of Chemotherapy
Drugs which come into effect from
01 Dec this year.
Announced in the 2010-11
Budget, the changes will require
prescribers to write dose specific
prescriptions using milligrams
without specific references to
forms and strengths.
Other changes will see payment
approved for suppliers/pharmacists
for the combination of vials that
most cost effectively makes up the
required patient dose.
In addition a patient co-payment
will be applied to an original
prescription and not to repeats.
A program has been created to
help pharmacists work out the
most cost effective combination of
vials to make up the patient’s
dose, which will be integrated into
upgraded dispensing software
programs and available for usage
by pharmacists from 01 December.
According to Medicare, any
combination of vials may be
dispensed but the algorithm
determines the remuneration
pharmacists will receive.
New fees (effective 01 Dec) will
also be introduced to compensate
pharmacists (in addition to the
Ready Prepared Dispensing Fee of
$6.42) and will include:
Preparation Fee ($40), Distribution
Fee ($24) (which replaces the
wholesale mark-up), and Diluent
Fee ($4.75).
For more info call 132 290.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 15 Sep 11To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 15 Sep 11
