Renal patients on hook for dispensing fees

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This article was published 20/03/2023 (934 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Martin Solodyuk already needs to spend hours on a dialysis machine at home each week because his kidneys have failed him — he doesn’t want to also make additional payments to keep the machine working properly.

However, that’s what is happening after the PsycHealth Centre pharmacy (used by outpatients) at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg sent all prescriptions needed for hundreds of renal patients to the Shoppers Drug Mart at 43 Marion St.

In a letter to renal patients, Shared Health said while the cost of all prescriptions will still be covered under the Manitoba Renal Program, patients will now have to pay dispensing fees, estimated to be between $5 to $15 per medication, starting April. 1.

Solodyuk, 63, said the medication he gets, dalteparin (which replaced heparin when the pharmacy couldn’t stock it due to supply chain issues), isn’t really for him, but for the dialysis machine which filters his blood.

“It stops the blood from clotting in the machine,” Solodyuk said this week. “Up until now, everything has been covered by the province, but now that renal medications are going to a pharmacy, we will have to pay dispensing fees.”

Solodyuk’s wife, Suzanne, said it is upsetting because, while the couple can afford the dispensing fee they haven’t had to pay until now, others might find it difficult, if not impossible.

The couple already saves the province money, she said.

“Just the fact we are here doing dialysis at home, we’re saving the province $68,000 to $70,000 per year,” Suzanne said.

“You would think they would be bending over backwards to make sure there is no additional cost to people at home. This is not a treatment which will end soon. Unless Martin gets a kidney, we will be doing this forever.

“And, for the province to shift the prescriptions to a pharmacy, it is privatization, in a sense.”

The couple went to the NDP with their concerns and, last week, MLA Matt Wiebe (Concordia) brought the issue up during question period.

“Can the premier tell this house why her government is forcing Martin to pay money for life-saving medication?” Wiebe asked. “He’s now paying money for drugs that used to be free. He’s paying dispensing fees for home dialysis.”

In response to three questions asked by Wiebe, Health Minister Audrey Gordon gave basically the same reply each time, saying the Stefanson government had put more money into the province’s pharmacare program.

“That investment is going to help individuals who are receiving services across our health system, including renal dialysis: $120 million to be exact,” Gordon said.

Gordon also noted that, before getting into politics, at one point as Winnipeg Regional Health Authority director of strategic initiatives, she worked in the kidney dialysis program for more than five years.

“(I) saw first-hand what those individuals were experiencing, and I have brought all of that expertise and all of that knowledge here to the Manitoba legislature to be the voice of individuals who are receiving care in our province,” Gordon said.

A Shared Health spokesman said about 670 renal patients were given notice of the switch from HSC outpatient pharmacy to the Shoppers Drug Mart location. There are about 1,750 renal patients in the province.

“Prior to the closure, many renal patients in Manitoba were already filling their prescriptions at retail pharmacies, who recoup costs for services provided via dispensing fees,” the spokesman said.

“Continuing to provide dispensing services for free to some clients at a retail pharmacy, based largely on which site they receive care at, while others pay is operationally infeasible and runs contrary to ongoing efforts to ensure equitability of care.”

The spokesman said support for clients needing help paying the dispensing fees could be available through programs like employment and income assistance.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca