Vet`s Dispensing Fee

[Staranais]

Our vet doesn't charge it either. But that doesn't mean you don't pay that money - it just means that the cost of procuring, storing, and dispensing the drugs is added into the cost of the consult, or is covered by a higher mark up on the medication itself, rather than having a separate "dispensing fee".

It just comes down how to each individual practice likes to charge out their drugs, and their staffs' time. I wouldn't mind paying a small dispensing fee, as long as the overall bill was reasonable.

Edited April 27, 2010 by Staranais

[Miss B]

I assume, rightly or wrongly, that our vet does not charge a dispensing fee. Everything is itemised to the nth degree and I've never seen it on the account.

My clinic does charge a dispensing fee, however it does not appear on the itemised invoice. It's included in the cost of the medication.

[whippets]

Dispensing fees are a rip off.

Course - we should just do it out of the kindness of our hearts right (and out of our own pockets)?

Yes $8+ for a small zip lock bag, one white sticker label to go in it and the very difficult task of counting tablets is a rip off. I suppose you could also count the lifting of the pen to write the dogs name, dose and time on the expensive white sticker label as well.

Wish I could get paid $8+ each time I count a packet of S8 drugs at the end of each shift at work :D cha ching.

Dosages have to be calculated as well for many drugs maybe you would like them tossed at you over the counter for you to work it all out yourself.

All this continual bitching about Vet fees gives me the shits, like any other business they have to make money and cover the very high overheads.

People bitch that that want every conceivable service available, they want the very best of everything, but it seems they want it all for nothing.

I could give a rats if it gives you the shits. If you don't like my bitching them press the ignore button otherwise it's a public forum.

I use 2 vets and neither charge a dispensing fee. Consult fees arn't ridiculous and neither are the meds.

Hell yes toss the drugs over the counter to me in a heartbeat. I'd calculate it myself.

Hmm lets see now, I'll put up a midnight dose of IV ab's for 4 patients then again at 6am, then lets see a PCA full of Morph, Fent or Peth (I'd have to calculate those 3 with another nurse). Not to mention PRN meds and regular time oral meds.

What gives me the shits is the vet industry thinking that calculating meds , tossed it in a zip lock bag with a white sticker is worth a crazy dispensing fee. Pffft yeah right. The ones that rant and rave about it are the ones that charge so much.

I'm sticking my hand out for 8 bucks next time I calculate and dose out meds I'd be on 5 grand a week if I did

[Bindii]

It's $11 where I work.

I think it's fair - it's not about the cost of the bags and labeling machine - a vet isn't supposed to just dispense a prescription medication, they should look into the history, why the animal is on the medication, when the animal was last seen, and quite often they might wish to discuss the effect of the medication with the client. All of this takes times, sure there might be the easy ones that take almost no time at all, but there are some that can end up taking up a large amount of a vets time (especially the essentially free consultation that is often had on the phone)

I see your point, but all of what you say should have {and did} take place during the $57 consultation, surely.

It`s not as though I walked in unanounced and asked for a prescription medicine without seeing a vet first.

Very sorry! I didn't see that that it was at the same time as consultation (which was also charged for in full) in that case - rip off!!!

[Earthdog]

Think I'll ask next time I'm there. Doesn't bother me if they do.

[Border Lover]

Get pet insurance, and then there is no need to whinge about vet costs because you get most of it back.....

Oh thats right - pet insurance is a rip off too.

[whippets]

I wonder if some vets charge you more if they know you have pet insurance.

I'd bet an $8 dispensing fee that some do.

[Miss B]

This is a genuine comparison of medications purchased from 2 different veterinary clinics (I've got the invoices right in front of me):

Clinic A (does not charge dispensing fee)

XYZ drug 10mg x 20 tablets (@ $1.32 ea)

TOTAL $26.40

Clinic B (does charge dispensing fee)

Dispensing Fee $11.00

XYZ drug 10mg x 20 tablets (@ 0.70c ea) $14.00

TOTAL $25.00

I don't understand the fuss about dispensing fees, personally...

[Bindii]

This is a genuine comparison of medications purchased from 2 different veterinary clinics (I've got the invoices right in front of me):

Clinic A (does not charge dispensing fee)

XYZ drug 10mg x 20 tablets (@ $1.32 ea)

TOTAL $26.40

Clinic B (does charge dispensing fee)

Dispensing Fee $11.00

XYZ drug 10mg x 20 tablets (@ 0.70c ea) $14.00

TOTAL $25.00

I don't understand the fuss about dispensing fees, personally...

The difference comes into it when you compare ordering meds within a consult, and ordering them as a repeat. I don't think a dispensing fee should be charged in any way if they are paying for the vet's time with a consultation.. In the way that it is included in the medication, there is no way to remove the 'fee' of the dispensing - resulting in, i believe, an over-charging (when a consultation is also had)

[Miss B]

The difference comes into it when you compare ordering meds within a consult, and ordering them as a repeat. I don't think a dispensing fee should be charged in any way if they are paying for the vet's time with a consultation.. In the way that it is included in the medication, there is no way to remove the 'fee' of the dispensing - resulting in, i believe, an over-charging (when a consultation is also had)

Think of it like a human pharmacy though... do you get medications cheaper when purchased on a repeat? Nope. As far as I'm concerned, the consult fee pays for the vets time, expertise and opinion. The medication fee (whether it includes a dispensing fee or not) pays for the drugs.

ETA: If we didn't charge a dispensing fee, the tablets themselves would be more expensive in order to make the same profit margin.

Edited April 27, 2010 by Miss B

[Bindii]

The difference comes into it when you compare ordering meds within a consult, and ordering them as a repeat. I don't think a dispensing fee should be charged in any way if they are paying for the vet's time with a consultation.. In the way that it is included in the medication, there is no way to remove the 'fee' of the dispensing - resulting in, i believe, an over-charging (when a consultation is also had)

Think of it like a human pharmacy though... do you get medications cheaper when purchased on a repeat? Nope. As far as I'm concerned, the consult fee pays for the vets time, expertise and opinion. The medication fee (whether it includes a dispensing fee or not) pays for the drugs.

ETA: If we didn't charge a dispensing fee, the tablets themselves would be more expensive in order to make the same profit margin.

If I need a new prescription for say, my eczema cream, I need to make an appointment to see my doctor in order to get that- even tho I've been getting it my whole life! As I said earlier, if it weren't for bulk billing and Medicare it would seem like a complete rip off... And the vet's small dispensing fee (rather than a full consultation) would seem soft.

But I do understand where you're coming from... Especially if fees end up the same with and without dispensing fees anyway like in the invoice you had.

ETA: I'm an idiot and was obviously tired last night, there is a dispensing fee included as part of the medication where i work too! But it makes no sense to me, if a patient only recieves an injection, an 'injection fee' is charged, same goes if it is *only* a blood collection (these fees are not charged on top of a consultation though) so I don't really know what the difference is. Anyway, i just received payment for meds that would have cost 8c if there wasn't a dispensing fee...

Edited April 27, 2010 by Bindii

[chadwick]

Hi all,

Do vets not have a standard "dispensing fee" for medications?

The reason I ask is the vet we use charges $8 on top of medication price, another vet in close locality charges $18 for a "dispensing fee", while a third just up the road say they will provide the medication {stilboestrol} at half the other`s prices including the so called dispensing fee!!

Confused?

Me too

'

Thanks all for the different views and discussion. Looks like the bottom line is.....they can charge whatever and however they see fit. I`ve got no beef with it either way, just trying to get some insight on what different vets charge.

One other thing was I paid $10 for 3 Stilboestrol 1mg. tabs, then 7 days later, the price was $13 for 20 tabs at same vet.

Naturally, I didn`t query the $13 for 20, in case they said "oh sorry, that should be $130"

So all is good.

[stormie]

Dispensing fees are a rip off.

Course - we should just do it out of the kindness of our hearts right (and out of our own pockets)?

Yes $8+ for a small zip lock bag, one white sticker label to go in it and the very difficult task of counting tablets is a rip off. I suppose you could also count the lifting of the pen to write the dogs name, dose and time on the expensive white sticker label as well.

Wish I could get paid $8+ each time I count a packet of S8 drugs at the end of each shift at work cha ching.

You forgot the cost of the printer, the annual fees/subscription for running the computer software, the ISP fees for internet etc etc etc.

Obviously there's just general staff wages, which as I'm sure you know for both vets and nurses is very low, but hey, we should take a pay cut so that we can help you pay for your medications.

And what about the patients we see where people can't afford treatment, so we do it for 'free'? And the rescues we see for 'free' and operate on for cost price? We donate our time and skills for so many people every day. People so often bitch and complain that we should treat animals for free if owners can't afford it, because 'we should care'. And we do. But yet people like you whing about your measly $8 which helps to recoup all those costs.

You expect us to pay for your medications and see rescues and wildlife for free, but you won't donate a simple $8 to help towards such things.

[jrm88]

I get so annoyed because I am on such an incredibly low wage and it makes me so angry that people think vets are a ripoff when I cant afford to actually move out and live on my wage.

How about they also think about the poor vets who study for a minimum of 5+ years then graduate and are on a lesser wage then most people yet they work 10x harder then any GP. They diagnose, treat and do surgery. Most of them are brilliant people and it is so annoying that people will whinge about an $8 dispensing fee.

There are alot of nurses/vets on here and Im sure it annoys/upsets them as much as me.

[jackie_a1]

I get so annoyed because I am on such an incredibly low wage and it makes me so angry that people think vets are a ripoff when I cant afford to actually move out and live on my wage.

How about they also think about the poor vets who study for a minimum of 5+ years then graduate and are on a lesser wage then most people yet they work 10x harder then any GP. They diagnose, treat and do surgery. Most of them are brilliant people and it is so annoying that people will whinge about an $8 dispensing fee.

There are alot of nurses/vets on here and Im sure it annoys/upsets them as much as me

First thing I was told when entering the animal industry was don't do it for the money. I do it for the passion. If you want money may I suggest exotic dancing?

[jrm88]

Hahaha I knew about the money before I started. Just makes me angry when people want me to be paid even less by not wanting to pay for anything dont have the body for exotic dancing

[jackie_a1]

Nor do I. HHAHAHA! BUT heres hoping a few more walks with my dogs will get me there! (Yeah and then Gerrard Butler will ask me to marry him too!)

Back on topic I have to check if I get charged dispensing I never looked actually I think I do but it's only a small fee maybe $5 I think cause I remember there being an extra five on Luck's cortazone tablets. It doesn't bother me but agreed what you said about vets. A friend of mine is studying and she has no life. Literally.

[jrm88]

Most places will charge a dispensing fee, my clinic charges anywhere from $6 - $15 depending on the actual medication (e.g. something that needs to be made up is more expensive) and it is just shown as medication it doesnt actually say dispensing fee.

I need to win the lottery

[OSoSwift]

I wonder if some vets charge you more if they know you have pet insurance.

I'd bet an $8 dispensing fee that some do.

No, they charge what they charge, if you have pet insurance great - if not as long as the bill is paid they don't care!

and my vet has an $11 dispensing fee!!

[WreckitWhippet]

Our's was $6 for repeats without consultation and the price of meds was bumped up to cover dispensing fmeds as part of a consult.

Either way you paid and you paid twice if getting a repeat without the need for a consult.

I don't care what my vet charges me. I pay for their service and the professional opinion. My dogs get what they need and then I look at the bill.