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• Mediq Pharmacies and CZ sign long-term contract

Mediq Pharmacies and healthcare insurer CZ have signed a two-year contract that offers an alternative to the preference policy. The key points of the contract are that prices of pharmaceuticals will be lower, the fee for service received by Mediq will be higher and Mediq will remain in charge of its own pharmaceuticals range. Whereas insurers take on pharmaceuticals purchasing under the preference policy, Mediq will remain responsible for supplier selection in this contract. Therefore Mediq pharmacists will again locally determine the pharmaceuticals to be dispensed on the basis of GPs’ prescriptions, rather than insurers determining nationally which medicines qualify exclusively for reimbursement. In addition, Mediq Pharmacies and CZ will jointly develop additional healthcare services for their customers. The contract is set to become effective on 1 January 2010.

Mediq will receive a lower but fixed reimbursement from the insurer for pharmaceuticals dispensed. The costs of pharmaceuticals will consequently be lower. At the same time, CZ will pay Mediq the maximum dispensing fee per prescription item set by the Dutch Healthcare Authority ((Nederlandse Zorgautoriteit - NZa). This fee is currently at € 7.94, i.e. € 0.66 higher than the basic fee of € 7.28. In addition, CZ will no longer withhold a certain percentage (known as the clawback) on the reimbursement for the agreed range.

Mediq will retain the purchasing function. Under the preference policy, pharmacies are required to stock the various different preferred pharmaceuticals of the various healthcare insurers, who in addition regularly switch their preference. Mediq avoids the associated logistical and administrative costs by purchasing itself. This also enables Mediq to negotiate better terms with suppliers. In addition, GPs remain free to prescribe the best pharmaceuticals for their patients, while Mediq’s pharmacists advise on the most effective option. The professional role of GPs and pharmacists is thereby safeguarded.

Mediq and CZ have also agreed to develop additional pharmaceutical healthcare services in the coming months, together with other healthcare providers. The intention is that Mediq receives additional fees for such services, in line with the regulations of the Dutch Healthcare Authority. Mediq expects pharmacies increasingly to be paid by healthcare insurers for these services in the future. Mediq recently signed similar contracts with Zilveren Kruis Achmea and Agis and with these contracts is positioning itself for the free market to be introduced in the pharmacy sector.

Marc van Gelder, CEO Mediq: “We have never supported the preference policy, as it leads to an erosion of healthcare. This agreement with CZ provides an alternative that ties in with Mediq’s strategy. The additional healthcare services lead to improved health for end users. In addition we are using the scope offered by the Dutch Healthcare Authority in the pharmaceuticals market, in the lead-up to a free market. Now that the purchasing margin on pharmaceuticals has declined substantially, we are moving to another earnings model in which we are increasingly rewarded for services supplied.”

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