DAV Seeks Renegotiation of Pharmaceutical Service Fees

The German Association of Pharmacists (DAV) is advocating for the renegotiation of fees associated with pharmaceutical services (pDL) following a recent ruling by the Federal Social Court (LSG) that supports their position. DAV's board member, Thomas Dittrich, has affirmed the organization's intent to engage in discussions with health insurance providers regarding updated honoraria for these services.

Since June 2022, pharmacies have been able to offer specific paid pharmaceutical services, which were initially defined through arbitration. Five services were established, allowing pharmacies to bill health insurance funds at predetermined rates:

• Standardized Risk Assessment for High Blood Pressure: EUR11.20 (net)
• Extended Instruction on Proper Medication Usage and Inhalation Technique: EUR20.00 (net)
• Extended Medication Consultation for Polypharmacy: EUR90.00 (net)
• Pharmaceutical Care for Organ Transplant Recipients: EUR90.00 (net)
• Follow-up for Pharmaceutical Care in Oral Antitumor Therapy: EUR17.55 (net)

However, the DAV believes that the fees set in the past are no longer reflective of the actual cost developments faced by pharmacies. Dittrich emphasized the need for a fee adjustment based on current economic realities.

In light of this, the DAV has formally requested the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-SV) to revisit and renegotiate the compensation structure. Dittrich pointed out that the pharmacists are not necessarily reliant on the goodwill of the health insurance providers and mentioned that if negotiations fail, they might resort to arbitration.

Moreover, the DAV aims to not only discuss existing service fees but also to introduce new pharmaceutical services. Presently, proposals for these new services are being developed internally. Initially, during the establishment of the first pDL, health insurance representatives were apprehensive about including preventive services from pharmacies. However, with increasing political pressure for such offerings, the landscape may be shifting.

Pharmacies are positioned to play a more significant role in patient care, particularly in preventive health measures, which could lead to expanded service offerings in the near future. As negotiations progress, the DAV remains optimistic about achieving favorable outcomes that will benefit both pharmacies and the public they serve.