Changes to Alberta Pharmacy Compensation
On October 22, 2024, Alberta Health sent a Pharmacy Benefact communication to pharmacists announcing substantive changes to the Pharmacy Compensation Framework in an effort to constrain government spending within the current year’s budget. These adjustments, which take effect on November 1, 2024, will limit pharmacists’ ability to continue to provide care to Albertans with comprehensive care needs.
Individuals with multiple health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, and mental health, will no longer be eligible to receive care from their pharmacist beyond 4 patient visits per year. In the Benefact message, Alberta Health acknowledged that most Albertans receive an average of 5 patient visits per year, which means those requiring more care due to the complex nature of their conditions will need to seek care from another healthcare provider.
The announced changes include:
- Reduction of the initial assessment fee for a Comprehensive Annual Care Plan (CACP) from $100 down to $70.
- Limiting the maximum allowable follow-ups for both Comprehensive Annual Care Plan (CACP) and Standard Medication Management Assessments (SMMA) to 4, down from the previous limit of 12.
In response to the announcement, RxA President Brittany Zelmer sent a letter to Members, which can be viewed here.