Can I complain about the price charged by a pharmacy?

Gmail

Hi, - Mods please move if required.

As above the question is can I make an official comlaint about the price I was charged in a pharmacy?

I asked my husband to get my prescription for me yesterday and told him to ring around for prices. Of course he didnt, and when I got home from work last night the medicine was there - having cost €160.70!!!
It was too late last night to do anything so I started ringing around this morning. Average price is €110. €50 of a difference, that is just incredible.

This medicine is not on the new IMB pricing list.

Does anybody know if I can do anything now about this?
Is there a body I can complain to?
I am raging, €50 is a massive amount of money.

Thanks

twowheelsonly

I doubt that you'll have any comeback as a Pharmacy is a retailer like any other and can more or less set prices themselves (for private patients..)

Nonoperational

Nope. Private business, can charge what they like. I paid €8 for a sandwich today, yesterday I paid €5 in a different shop.

Kurtosis

As has already been said, not much you can do about this bar making sure to shop around in future.

Do keep the receipt you were issued, it could be worth submitting this to your local health office as they may be able to refund some of the cost over the €144 Drug Payment Scheme threshold. Also include it with any other medical expenses for the year on a MED1 form and you may be eligible for tax back on these costs.

MicraBoy

You should definitely lodge a complaint with your husband.

bleg

When prices in pharmacies were the same they were a cartel, now there's competition, it's a disgrace.

What do you want?

Gmail

Just as I thought! Thanks for the replies folks. Lesson learned. If you want something done - do it yourself or else take the hit!
It's my own fault really so nobody to blame but myself.
I have lodged a complaint with the husband MicraBoy. He will only accept a formal complaint in writing and cannot guarantee a reply!

Nonoperational

Ah leave him alone!

Mr Williams

Unfortunately the Pharmasters are a law unto themselves.

partyatmygaff

Mr Williams wrote: »

Unfortunately the Pharmasters are a law unto themselves.

I don't understand people who complain about community pharmacies. As a retail business, pricing couldn't be any more transparent. Very few other businesses have such a transparent pricing structure.

Just shop around and keep in mind, you pay for the clinical services provided by the pharmacist as well as your medicines.

Nonoperational

partyatmygaff wrote: »

I don't understand people who complain about community pharmacies. As a retail business, pricing couldn't be any more transparent. Very few other businesses have such a transparent pricing structure.

Just shop around and keep in mind, you pay for the clinical services provided by the pharmacist as well as your medicines.

That's not really true at all. There are bonus and discounts that most people have no idea about. The "cost price" os a lot of medicines is not in fact the real cost at all.

partyatmygaff

Nonoperational wrote: »

That's not really true at all. There are bonus and discounts that most people have no idea about. The "cost price" os a lot of medicines is not in fact the real cost at all.

And? Just shop around and go for whatever pharmacy offers the best service at the best price.

chinwag

If you have found that the average price for the prescription is €110 it might well be worth ringing the chemist in question and telling them about the €50 price difference, it's worth a try and also to let them know that their price on this item is way out of line with others, as you have clearly shown.

dissed doc

Nonoperational wrote: »

Nope. Private business, can charge what they like. I paid €8 for a sandwich today, yesterday I paid €5 in a different shop.

I would call the Sandwich & Picnic Regulation Bureau immediately to report abuse by a registered lunch practitioner.

Government should regulate these prices.

Wait no, government should not regulate these prices because they are private sector businesses.

Wait no we need equal access to lunch.

Wait...

Nonoperational

partyatmygaff wrote: »

And? Just shop around and go for whatever pharmacy offers the best service at the best price.

And nothing. You said community pharmacy "couldn't be any more transparent", I disagree. One reason I disagree is because the cost price people quote for some drugs is not the real cost price. Nothing at all wrong with that by the way, but I wouldn't say it's very transparent. A price list would be a step towards real transparency but it's very much not the done thing.

dissed doc wrote: »

I would call the Sandwich & Picnic Regulation Bureau immediately to report abuse by a registered lunch practitioner.

Government should regulate these prices.

Wait no, government should not regulate these prices because they are private sector businesses.

Wait no we need equal access to lunch.

Wait...

No idea what your on about, sorry! :pac:

partyatmygaff

Nonoperational wrote: »

And nothing. You said community pharmacy "couldn't be any more transparent", I disagree. One reason I disagree is because the cost price people quote for some drugs is not the real cost price. Nothing at all wrong with that by the way, but I wouldn't say it's very transparent. A price list would be a step towards real transparency but it's very much not the done thing.

Ask the pharmacy for the cost price?

Nonoperational

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Ask the pharmacy for the cost price?

You know well a pharmacy is not going to disclose their discount or bonus position on a line of stock. Nor should they.


I'm not having a go, I just disagree that pharmacy pricing is very transparent.

partyatmygaff

Nonoperational wrote: »

You know well a pharmacy is not going to disclose their discount or bonus position on a line of stock. Nor should they.

Ask them for their dispensing fee and markup then. Compare to another pharmacy and the difference is their discount.

Nonoperational

partyatmygaff wrote: »

Ask them for their dispensing fee and markup then. Compare to another pharmacy and the difference is their discount.

Nope. Pharmacies apply the dispensing fee and markup on the cost price in the IPU product file so 28 Atorvastatin from Teva will "cost" the same in every pharmacy in Ireland.

partyatmygaff

Nonoperational wrote: »

Nope. Pharmacies apply the dispensing fee and markup on the cost price in the IPU product file so 28 Atorvastatin from Teva will "cost" the same in every pharmacy in Ireland.

That doesn't really matter though. In any other retail environment, usually all you're told is the sale price. Relative to the vast majority of businesses, pricing is very transparent in pharmacies.

Like any other business, for private sales, they're entitled to charge whatever they like for the goods and services they provide. If you don't think the price they're charging is the most competitive for the level of service they provide, just shop around and find another pharmacy.

No Pants

Is your prescription any cheaper in the North?

Nonoperational

partyatmygaff wrote: »

That doesn't really matter though. In any other retail environment, usually all you're told is the sale price. Relative to the vast majority of businesses, pricing is very transparent in pharmacies.

Like any other business, for private sales, they're entitled to charge whatever they like for the goods and services they provide. If you don't think the price they're charging is the most competitive for the level of service they provide, just shop around and find another pharmacy.

We will have to agree to disagree.

nino1

Nonoperational wrote: »

I'm not having a go, I just disagree that pharmacy pricing is very transparent.

not transparent in comparison to which industry?

I don't know of any industry where cost price is either asked for or given out.

why would pharmacists give this info?

Nonoperational

nino1 wrote: »

not transparent in comparison to which industry?

I don't know of any industry where cost price is either asked for or given out.

why would pharmacists give this info?

Never said they should give it out, my point of disagreement is with the poster who said pharmacy pricing is very transparent.

Almost every other shop I go to there is a sticker on the item with the price. Often times I can get it online or request a price list. If I need to purchase an item and have it fitted this is broken down on the receipt.

This is not the case with most pharmacies. I find it a stretch to say the industry has transparent pricing when one has to individually ask the price of each item. Also, pharmacy receipts have no breakdown of the cost of the item and the value added services provided.

Again, I have no problem with this. But it's a big stretch to say they pharmacies are one of the most transparent businesses out there.

nino1

Nonoperational wrote: »

Almost every other shop I go to there is a sticker on the item with the price.

Prescription prices are not available for self selection so there would be little point of putting stickers on them!

Nonoperational wrote: »

Often times I can get it online or request a price list.

That's okay if you have a few hundred items but for over 10,000 items it is not practical

Nonoperational wrote: »

If I need to purchase an item and have it fitted this is broken down on the receipt.

My pharmacy has a breakdown of the price on my receipt

Nonoperational

nino1 wrote: »

Prescription prices are not available for self selection so there would be little point of putting stickers on them!

Obviously, but you could have a price list available to see.

That's okay if you have a few hundred items but for over 10,000 items it is not practical



You could have a top 100 list. Common medicine are common. This and a list of fees would make it much easier for consumers to choose.

My pharmacy has a breakdown of the price on my receipt

With the breakdown of drug cost, markup and fee etc? That's unusual. Fair play to them. I've worked in over 50 pharmacies and haven't seen that.

.

Anyway, I've given my opinion and I'll leave it at that.

tracey turnblad

Check you got charged for the correct item...and correct dosage. I paid something like 39euro for zinyert for my son. Couldn't believe it was so expensive...went on line to see was it cheaper up north...and found out the average price is 20-25 for it. When I double checked the blue and white receipt I found I was charged for 90ml instead of 30ml. Rang the chemist and they agreed they don't sell the 90ml and refunded me.

Different chemists charge different dispensing fees so while the medication might cost the same...the dispensing fees differ.