Equivalent drug band reduced from 10 to 5 percent: patients will pay the price difference

With the decision published in the Official Gazette, the equivalent range for drugs was reduced from 10 percent to 5 percent.

In article 4 of “Decision No. 2023/5 of the Health Services Price Commission” published yesterday, the rate used in the maximum price of medicines that can be paid in the equivalent group is determined with article titled “Health Implementation Statement 4.4.2 Equivalent Drug Application” was determined at 5 percent.

“THEY WILL PAY MORE PRICE DIFFERENCE”

Assessing the 5 percent decrease in the equivalent band of medicines, the president of the Bursa Chamber of Pharmacists, Okan Şahin, stated that this decrease will increase the price difference that patients will pay and made the following statements:

“If the cheapest drug in the equivalent drug group cost 100 TL, the price of the drug would not make a difference of up to 10% more. In other words, the patient was taking the 110TL drug without paying the difference in price. However, since this band has been reduced to 5 percent, patients will start paying a price difference of 5 TL to buy 110 TL of medicine.

In 2021, changes were made to reduce this band from 10 percent to 5 percent. A lawsuit was filed and a stay of execution decision was made. However, SGK did the same thing again.”

ISTANBUL PHARMACY CHAMBER CLAIMED

The Annex to the Health Implementation Notice of the Decision of the Health Services Price Commission of the Presidency of the Social Security Institution, numbered 2021/5, included in the Notice published by the Istanbul Chamber of Pharmacists in the Official Gazette No. 31592 (repeated) on September 8, 2021. Regarding the elimination of 52 medicines registered in -4/A) from the payment list,

Regarding medicines other than article 1 (medicines that contain mono and/or combined active substance thiocolchicoside and used topically in the treatment of joint and muscular pain),

2. Item (payment of a box of medication in the same prescription by determining the reference therapeutic group),

A lawsuit was filed with the State Council on 08.11.2021 for the cancellation of article 3 and article 4 (to find the unit price by adding 5 percent to the base unit price within the scope of the equivalent drug application) and for the stay of execution.

In the case registered based on number 2021/6809, Room 10 of the Council of State, it was decided to suspend the execution of the aforementioned articles.