From Iceland — Discounts On Prescription Medicine Proposed

Discounts On Prescription Medicine Proposed

Published June 6, 2011

Those who have to pay high prices out of pocket for medicine could get
hefty discounts, if a bill from the Ministry of Welfare is passed.
RÚV reports that the bill in question outlines three categories of those requiring prescription medication: those paying up to 20,000 ISK, those paying
more than this, and those paying over 90,000 ISK.
According to the bill, submitted by the Ministry of Welfare, those
paying up to 20,000 ISK for their medicine will pay out of pocket for
the full amount. However, those paying more than 20,500 will have 85% of
the cost covered by Icelandic Health Insurance, a public institution
directly under the Ministry of Welfare. The remaining 15% will be paid
by the patient. Moreover, those paying more than 90,000 ISK for medicine
will only pay 7.5% of the cost, with the remainder covered by Icelandic
Health Insurance.
If, within a 12-month period, someone pays 65,000 ISK for their
medicine, they no longer have to pay anymore for medicine within this
period, and the government covers all medication costs. Costs are cut
even further for children, the elderly, the disabled and the unemployed.
People in these categories pay for the first 15,000 ISK for their
medicine, but not more than this.
If the bill is passed into law, it will go into effect in October.

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