BC government reveals plans to lower generic drug prices to 20% of brand-name price by April 2014

摘要

Beginning in April 2013, the British Columbia government will pay 25% of the brand-name price for generic drugs and one year later, the price will be lowered to 20% - lower than what currently exists in any other province. Health minister Margaret MacDiarmid revealed the regulatory timetable on November 23, 2012, and predicted the reductions would save the province $110 million in public drug-plan spending over 2 years. The governments move from 35% to 25% wasn't a surprise; it had been announced earlier in 2012, when the province cancelled its services agreement with pharmacists and introduced new legislation. The precise timing of the changes and the 20% target, however, hadn't previously been known.