Methods for calculating deductibles and co-payments vary between the public and private systems. They also vary from one private insurer to the next, and are based on the coverage provided by employers and insurers. As a result, it is normal for two patients covered by different insurers to pay different amounts. 

For individuals covered under the public plan: The contribution from patients covered under the public plan, which includes the deductible and co-insurance, is set by the government, based on various criteria. 

For individuals insured through a private plan: The amount payable for your prescription is determined by your insurer, based on your plan’s coverage. Professional fees are set by the owner-pharmacist based on the drug’s complexity and the specifics of a pharmacy’s business. The price of a given drug will be the same for all patients in the same pharmacy. 

The law protects you: you have the right to choose your own pharmacist and no one can force you to switch pharmacies. If you are being pressured by a private insurer or by a benefits plan administrator to do so, the Régie urges you to report the situation. File a report with the RAMQ by phone or by mail: 

418 528-5659 (Quebec City area) 
or 1 877 858-2242 (elsewhere in Quebec) 

Dénonciation – Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec – Case postale 6600, dépôt Q086 Québec (Québec) G1K 7T3 

Should you also wish to inform the AQPP of complaints you’ve submitted, please e-mail the information to: communications@aqpp.qc.ca 

For your safety and for continuous and adequate monitoring of your treatment, it is strongly recommended that you always go to the same pharmacy. This allows your pharmacist to access all the information he recorded previously in your file, which in turn ensures he can provide the best possible monitoring of your drug therapy. As a result, he can take better care of your health. 

Staying loyal to your pharmacist: a guarantee of health and safety. 

It is normal for the price of a pharmacy’s services and products to vary from time to time. This is the reality of an economic system in which competition comes into play and operating costs vary from one pharmacy to another. As detailed on the invoice, the total price includes a number of components. A pharmaceutical company or other stakeholders may sometimes make adjustments to a given drug’s cost. Fees may also vary due to additional expenses the pharmacist might need to shoulder to offer his services or simply due to inflation. 

In addition, we’ve been seeing a change in the community pharmacy environment, especially over the last several months. These changes may affect a pharmacy’s business model and the cost of drugs. As such, it is normal for price variations to occur. 

Every pharmacy is an independent business. Fees are established based on the specifics of a pharmacy’s business and the expenses it must shoulder to remain accessible to its patients and continue delivering high-quality services. 

First and foremost, it is important to inform yourself: choose your pharmacist and pharmacy based on the professional services they provide rather than a prescription drug’s price. The quality of services provided and your personal relationship with the pharmacist are important factors to consider when choosing a pharmacy, along with its opening hours and distance from your home or workplace. 

In fact, to ensure your safety, it is strongly recommended that you always go to the same pharmacy. This allows your pharmacist to access all the information he recorded previously in your patient record, which in turn ensures he can provide the best possible monitoring of your drug therapy. 

The public plan rates are set by the government and are not representative of the pharmacy’s operating realities because they have not been indexed to inflation in the past 15 years, even though the pharmacy business and the drugs themselves have become considerably more complex. Public and private plans are very different. For privately insured individuals, the fees reflect the pharmacy’s business conditions and the expenses required so it can remain accessible to its patients. The administrative and logistical management resulting from the multitude of existing private insurance plans generate a greater workload for the pharmacy staff as well. 

Fees are established based on the pharmacy’s business conditions and the expenses it must shoulder to remain accessible to its patients and continue delivering high-quality services. Moreover, the varying level of complexity of the professional monitoring associated with each drug may influence professional fees. 

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