PHARMACISTS UNITE AGAINST UNFAIR MEDICAL SCHEME PRACTICES

WE, THE PHARMACISTS OF SOUTH AFRICA, STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT THE SOUTH AFRICAN PHARMACY COUNCIL INTERVENE IN THE MEDICAL SCHEMES UNFAIR CONTROL OF THE COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS’ ABILITY TO EARN A PROFESSIONAL AND VIABLE LIVING.

IT IS OUR CONTENTION THAT THE SOUTH AFRICAN PHARMACY COUNCIL, BEING A STATUTORY BODY, NEEDS TO PROTECT THE SOUTH AFRICAN PUBLIC FROM THE EXPLOITS OF THE MEDICAL SCHEMES, WHOSE FOCUS IS PRIMARILY ON “AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE” HEALTHCARE, AT THE EXPENSE OF PHARMACISTS.

IN ORDER FOR PHARMACISTS TO DELIVER PROPER PHARMACEUTICAL HEALTHCARE, THE SOUTH AFRICAN PHARMACY COUNCIL SHOULD COMPEL THE BOARD OF HEALTHCARE FUNDERS TO ENSURE THAT MEDICAL SCHEMES PAY BOTH A PROFESSIONAL FEE AND A DISPENSING FEE EQUIVALENT TO THAT DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AS FAIR AND EQUITABLE, THUS ALLOWING PHARMACISTS TO PROPERLY CARRY OUT THEIR PROFESSIONAL DUTIES IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS.

 

 

WHY SHOULD ALL PHARMACISTS SIGN THIS PETITION?

The Profession of Pharmacy should remain the sole custodian of medicine, not the Medical Schemes.

The Profession of Pharmacy should not be controlled nor exploited by Medical Schemes.

Community Pharmacists should be paid a professional fee and a dispensing fee equivalent to the legislated dispensing fee.

The Public should be protected against the monopolistic and autocratic attitude of Medical Schemes imposing set formularies.

Community pharmacists resent being accused of being the principal contributors to the high cost of medicine, when statistics prove otherwise.

Community pharmacists believe the public have a Constitutional right to approach the healthcare provider of their choice, without having to incur penalty co-payments.

Community pharmacists should not be forced to institute therapeutic substitution. Medical schemes should enforce medical practitioners to prescribe according to their formularies, and NOT penalise pharmacists for not adhering to these.

Community pharmacies should not be incentivised to adhere to formularies.

Medical Schemes should not charge administration fees to Community Pharmacies for administering and dispensing medicines on behalf of these schemes. In fact, Community Pharmacies should be allowed to charge an administration fee to Medical Schemes for submitting claims and resolving problems when dealing with their members.

Community pharmacists want stricter control from the Council for Medical Schemes over the actions of Medical Schemes, and propose that an ombudsman be appointed in the interests of the public.

Community pharmacists believe it is the South African Pharmacy Council’s mandate to protect the public from the underhanded tactics of medical schemes – i.e. taking away their freedom of choice by forcing them to use service providers of the Medical Scheme’s choice.

Community pharmacists have had enough of not being able to exercise their Constitutional right to earn a viable living, and can no longer accept the fact that they do not earn an appropriate CPI increase annually, yet face ever-increasing Council fees, along with other expenses, in order to maintain their practices. 

Please sign and share this petition so that we can save the pharmacy profession from collapse, and the public from a failing healthcare system.