The government is planning to change the law by introducing premiums to motivate doctors and pharmacists to prescribe cheaper drugs in Hungary.According to the National Health Insurance Fund (OEP), savings of about HUF 3-4bn (€10.8-14.4m) could be shared among doctors as premiums every year.Doctors in Hungary are, to some extent, obliged to offer patients the cheapest medicines, as doctors’ habits in the arena of drug prescription are monitored by the National Health Insurance Fund (OEP) in four therapeutic areas: gastric diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure and the reduction of blood fat levels. If the prices of drugs prescribed by a particular doctor are at least 50% higher than the average, he or she is obliged to participate in a special course.Pharmacists, despite the fact that they are obliged to offer the patient a cheaper drug equivalent, in accordance with Act XCVIII of 2006, are not yet interested in offering them, because lower margins would mean less income for pharmacies.
