Bill 92 finally in effect: A detailed pharmacy invoice since September 15

It is now official: following the introduction of Bill 92 on Friday, September 15, Quebec pharmacists must now provide their clients with a detailed invoice upon purchase of prescription drugs. The invoice must indicate the pharmacist’s professional fees, an amount that was until recently included in the total cost of the medication.

This is a great step forward for better management of prescription drug commercial practices, which Normandin Beaudry has been defending since 2015 alongside insurers, other consulting firms and a grouping of private plan sponsors now comprising about 70 organizations.

The following information will help you share this change with the people in your organization.

For each drug, the invoice will itemize the following:

• the price of the drug as set by the government (set cost)
• the distributor’s margin (set cost)
• the pharmacist’s professional fees (variable cost)

Greater invoice transparency is good news for group insurance sponsors and for insured members as this means better control on the price of prescription drugs and, consequently, on group insurance plan costs.

The only variable from one pharmacy to the next is the pharmacist’s professional fees. Until recently, the fees were included in the total cost shown on the invoice. That meant that consumers were not aware of the fact their prescription drugs were not sold at the same price in all pharmacies. With the new detailed invoice, they are now armed with the information to shop around for their prescription drugs. By making better choices, insured members can save money, which will have an impact on the group insurance plan costs.

• Memo to employees
  The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) proposes this template. For personalized communications, you can count on our communication team. Feel free to contact your Normandin Beaudry advisors.
• Frequently Asked Questions
  For more information on the detailed invoice, visit the CLHIA’s web-based resource tool: www.mypharmacyinvoice.ca.

Please feel free to contact us for additional information.