New draft dispensing fee for GP’s
The Minister of Health on Friday 19 May 2017 published a draft dispensing fee for general practitioners and other persons licensed to dispense in terms of Section 22C of Act 101 of 1965 as amended. Interested persons now have three months to submit comments, after which a final Regulation will be published and a new fee can be charged.
The draft dispensing fee is as follows:
- Where the single exit price of a medicine or scheduled substance is less than R120.00, the dispensing fee must not exceed 30% of the single exit price [the current fee is 30% up to R111.99).
- Where the single exit price of a medicine or scheduled substance is equal to or greater than R120.00, the dispensing fee must not exceed R36.00 [the current cap is R33.60.
The fee must be calculated exclusive of VAT; thus the single exit price + 30% = total exclusive of VAT. VAT is then added to this total. If the single exit price, for instance is R130.00, one will add R36.00 which equals R166.00R. VAT is then added (R23.24) and the patient is charged R189.24.
The minister also published draft dispensing fees for pharmacists.
For a medicine with the same price as the example above, a pharmacist may charge 33% (R42.90) + R24.30 for a total price of R197.20. When VAT is added the price for the patient is R224.80 which is R35.56 more expensive than the price a dispensing doctor can charge.
Download the Government Gazette Notice
