Pharma Tech

CareRx Applauds Ontario Ministry of Health's Pause of Planned Fee Changes

CareRx Corporation ("CareRx" or the "Company") (TSX: CRRX), Canada's leading provider of specialty pharmacy services to seniors, is pleased that the Ontario Ministry of Health has announced that it will pause for one year previously scheduled changes to long-term care pharmacy funding, which were scheduled to go into effect on April 1, 2021.

Under certain amendments to the Ontario Drug Benefit Act that came into effect on January 1, 2020, the reimbursement model for long-term care pharmacies in Ontario was changed from a fee-for-service model to a fee-per-bed capitation model under which pharmacies receive a fixed professional fee for all pharmacy services provided to residents in long-term care homes. The fee for 2020, which was prescribed at $1,500, was scheduled to decline to $1,400 per bed serviced on April 1, 2021. The step-down in capitation has now been paused until April 1, 2022.

"Long-term care homes and their staff have faced unprecedented challenges during COVID-19," said David Murphy, President and Chief Executive Officer of CareRx. "This pause will ensure that pharmacies like CareRx can continue to deliver the same exceptional partnership and service offering to long-term care homes and help alleviate the burden COVID-19 has placed on home staff. We want to thank Minister Elliott, Minister Fullerton and the Ontario Government for their ongoing dialogue and commitment to protecting the wellbeing of residents in long-term care."

About CareRx Corporation
CareRx is Canada's leading provider of specialty pharmacy services to seniors. We serve approximately 50,000 residents in over 900 seniors and other communities (long-term care homes, retirement homes, assisted living facilities, and group homes). We are a national organization with a large network of pharmacy fulfillment centres strategically located across the country. This allows us to deliver medications in a timely and cost-effective manner and quickly respond to routine changes in medication management. We use best-in-class technology that automates the preparation and verification of multi-dose compliance packaging of medication, providing the highest levels of safety and adherence for individuals with complex medication regimes. We take an active role in working with our home operator partners to promote resident health, staff education, and medication system quality and efficiency.

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