There are the same rules and regulations for the calculation of cannabis-based medicines as there are for other medicines. As already mentioned in one of my other posts “The more work the pharmacist has to do with the product, the more expensive it will be in the end.” I think this should be obvious to everyone. I will briefly explain below how exactly the prices are made up and calculated.
If there is a prescription for cannabis flowers, these must be dispensed in the pharmacy as prescription drugs with appropriate labeling in accordance with § 14 ApBetrO. If they are decanted, filled, packaged or labeled unchanged and dispensed to the patient, the price is determined in accordance with § 4 AMPreisV. In short, this means that a fixed surcharge of 100 percent (with a margin of 50 percent) is levied on the pharmacy purchase prices excluding VAT and VAT for unprocessed flowers and the necessary packaging. If the costs are covered, an agreement between the service provider (health insurance, social service provider, private health insurers or their associations) and pharmacies or their associations can influence the price calculation accordingly.
If cannabis flowers are processed in accordance with the NRF regulations, i.e. by crushing, sieving and, if necessary, packaging into individual doses, the provisions of § 5 AMPreisV apply. With this form of dispensing it gets a little more complicated, roughly speaking the price is then calculated as follows: Fixed surcharge of 90 percent + the prescription surcharge, which varies depending on the type of processing + possibly a fixed surcharge. If costs are covered, an agreement between the service provider (health insurance, social service provider, private health insurance or their associations) and pharmacies or their associations can also influence the price calculation accordingly.
In addition, pharmacies can charge the narcotics fee in accordance with § 7 AMPreisV, currently around 5 € incl. VAT per prescription calculate. Patients must always pay the statutory co-payment for cannabis flowers and other medicinal products containing cannabinoids in accordance with § 31 Abs. 3 SGB V perform.
