Changes to the price list by the Ministry of Health – How many and what types of medicines are affected.
A revision of wholesale medicine prices will take place once again this February by the Ministry of Health, directly impacting patient costs. As explained by Sophia Petridou, Senior Officer of the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO), during the Sigma TV programme “Mesimeri kai Kati”, the majority of medicines will see price reductions, although some will experience increases.
More specifically, approximately 757 medicines are expected to have reduced prices, while 175 will see price increases. Medicines affected by the reductions are mainly widely used drugs obtained from private pharmacies. On the other hand, the increases primarily concern innovative medicines.
What does this mean for patients?
The new prices will determine how much beneficiaries of the General Healthcare System (GHS) pay at pharmacies. While reductions are more common, the final analyses will determine the exact impact on patient costs.
“We will know exactly how much patients will ultimately pay next week when the final analyses of these changes are completed and published on the Organisation’s website,” Ms Petridou stated. “Beneficiaries can then visit the Organisation’s website to check if there is any price variation for the specific medicine they are using,” she added.
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