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8.4 Clinical Services Fees

Last updated on September 16, 2025

General Policy Description

PharmaCare pays pharmacies enrolled as PharmaCare providers set amounts for providing clinical services associated with prescription adaptation by a pharmacist for residents of B.C.

Clinical services fees can be claimed whether or not the drug or the patient is covered by PharmaCare.

The maximum amount PharmaCare reimburses a pharmacy for any combination of medication reviews, clinical services (e.g., prescription adaptation), and drug and vaccine administrations for the same patient, on the same day is $78.00.

Policy details

Eligibility

Any pharmacy that is a PharmaCare provider can claim the clinical services fee. The client they provide the clinical service to does not need to be covered by PharmaCare.

Prescription adaptation

Fees can only be claimed for prescription adaptation as defined by the College of Pharmacists of BC Professional Practice Policy 58 (PDF, 148KB):

  • Renewing a prescription
  • Changing the dose, formulation or regimen of a prescription
  • Making a therapeutic drug substitution within the same therapeutic class

PharmaCare may recover clinical services fees paid for services that are not consistent with the PPP-58 definition of prescription adaptation.

Clinical services fees must be claimed when a clinical service has been performed. For adaptations, a clinical services fee can be claimed on the first dispense of the adapted prescription, and not on any refills.

PPP-58 updates

In October 2022, the period of validity for a prescription was extended to 2 years from the written date, and pharmacists were authorized to adapt prescriptions for a wider range of drugs and conditions.

In August 2024, the college updated PPP-58 to authorize pharmacists to:

  • Adapt prescriptions that have previously been adapted
  • Adapt a prescription from a former practitioner (i.e. a practitioner who is no longer practising), if the prescription at the time of adaptation is otherwise valid
  • Renew prescriptions for a narcotic, controlled drug, or targeted substance for a duration that may be longer than prescribed, for continuity of care
  • Change the dose, formulation or regimen for a prescription for a narcotic, controlled drug, or targeted substance, if the quantity dispensed does not exceed the stated amount authorized in the prescription

For a pharmacist to renew a prescription, the following must apply:

  • The prescription was written less than 2 years ago
  • The condition being treated is stable
  • There has been no clinically significant changes to the prescription for a minimum of 3-6 months per accepted clinical practice for the condition being treated

The College of Pharmacists of BC’s Professional Practice Policy 58 (PDF, 148KB) details the principles and protocols for all prescription adaptations. The college’s website provides detailed information about, for example, what qualifies as an adaptation, obtaining patient consent, the difference between adapting and providing an emergency supply, how to notify prescribers and how to document adaptations.

Ineligible claims

A clinical services fee cannot be claimed:

  • For emergency fills
  • For emergency contraceptives
  • For refills of an adapted prescription. Only a dispense fee can be claimed for refills
  • For contacting a physician to clarify a concern, amend a prescription, or dispense an interchangeable drug

Maximum clinical services fee

The maximum clinical services fee for adaptation is

  • $10.00 for a prescription renewal or for changing a dose, formulation, or regimen
  • $17.20 for making a therapeutic substitution

Maximum number of fees

The Ministry pays a maximum of two clinical services fees per drug, per person during a six-month period.

Payment schedule

Clinical services fees are paid monthly.

Full payment policy

The Full Payment Policy applies to clinical services fees. This means that pharmacies cannot solicit or accept additional payment from a patient or any other party for services associated with prescription adaptation. If the pharmacy requests or accepts any such fees or payments, PharmaCare may recover all clinical services fees paid to the pharmacy and may refuse to pay additional clinical services fees to the pharmacy.

Relationship between dispensing and special services fees

Special services fees cannot be claimed for a prescription for which a clinical services fee is being claimed.

If the situation is consistent with the College of Pharmacists of BC’s Professional Practice Policy 58, and the pharmacist is adapting the prescription in a situation in which the alternative is to refer a patient back to the prescriber, it is appropriate to claim a clinical services fee. If however, the pharmacist decides it is in the patient’s best interest to refer them to the prescriber without filling the prescription, the pharmacist can not claim a clinical services fee, but may be eligible for a special services fee, if the prescription would have been a PharmaCare benefit for that patient.

Procedures

Submitting claims for prescription adaptation

Clinical services fees are paid based on the number of claims a pharmacy submits with specific intervention codes (below). Do not submit the clinical services fee amount with the claim.

To submit a claim for a clinical services fee:

  1. PRACT ID Ref field: enter P1 (for College of Pharmacists of BC)
  2. PRACT ID field: enter your College ID.
  3. SIG (directions) field: enter Adapted at the beginning of the field (unless leveraging PharmaNet PPM version 70 software, which automatically marks the record as an adaptation), and additional directions after.
  4. Include the appropriate clinical services fee intervention code. Clinical services fees will not be paid for claims that do not have the appropriate intervention code.
Intervention codes
Code Description
NI dosage change
NJ formulation change
NK directions for use modified
NL renewal of prescription
NM therapeutic substitution

Reconciling clinical services claims with payments

Pharmacies can call the PharmaNet Help Desk to find out whether a claim for clinical services has been accepted (paid) or rejected (not paid).

Help Desk staff can access payment and claim details for specific pay periods, and can fax a copy of these details (with patient identifiers removed) if requested.

Procedure for entering emergency fill and emergency contraceptive claims

Use the following procedure to submit claims for an emergency fill or for emergency contraceptives. These claims are not eligible for a clinical services fee.

  1. In the PRACT ID Ref field, enter P1 — College of Pharmacists of BC.
  2. In the PRACT ID field, enter your College ID.
  3. Include the appropriate intervention code.
 
Code Description
NN emergency supply of medication
NO emergency contraceptive

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