Alberta pharmacists weigh the benefits, trade-offs of its long-awaited new funding deal

On June 16, Alberta announced its long-awaited three-year pharmacy funding framework, which will govern pharmacy compensation in the province through March 31, 2029.The result of lengthy negotiations between the provincial government and the Alberta Pharmacists' Association (RxA), for many pharmacists, the agreement represents a long-awaited measure of stability after years of funding uncertainty and stagnant dispensing fees. With the overall pharmacy budget increasing from $670 million in 2025 to $737 million in 2026-27, the agreement marks the first increase to dispensing fees in more than a decade. Under the new framework, pharmacists will be able to bill up to $12.35 for prescriptions of less than 84 days' supply, up from $12.15, while prescriptions dispensed in supplies of 84 days or longer will be reimbursed at up to $13.50.The framework also includes a 3% increase in funded pharmacy compensation for the first two years, followed by a rate review in the final year. In addition, the agreement creates opportunities to pilot new models of care, particularly in rural communities and specialized practice settings."Alberta's pharmacists play an important role in our healthcare system, and this agreement supports a sustainable pharmacy system that benefits pharmacists, patients and communities across Alberta," said Justin Wright, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services in a statement to the Canadian Healthcare Network. Some, however, are questioning whether the deal goes far enough to address rising operating costs, and whether it supports pharmacists' expanding clinical role. Among the most contentious measures is a $13,000 monthly cap on clinical services billings. Ahmed Abdelfattah, an Edmonton-based clinical pharmacist and pharmacy owner, said the cap risks undermining Alberta's longstanding push toward pharmacist-led clinical care."You're putting a limit on pharmacists and telling them not to use their full scope of practice," he said, arguing that the framework could in practice force pharmacists who reach the cap to continue providing services without compensation.However, Bruce Winston, senior director of advocacy and professional affairs at Neighbourly Pharmacy, believes the measure is unlikely to affect most practitioners. Citing information shared by RxA, he said the average pharmacist bills roughly $3,000 annually in clinical services—well below the new $13,000 monthly cap. Instead, Winston said the government was responding to a relatively small number of pharmacies generating disproportionately high clinical services billings. Last year, pharmacy billings exceeded the province's authorized amount by approximately $45 million.Most pharmacists Winson spoke with are generally satisfied with the agreement, particularly given concerns that the province could have introduced more significant restrictions following last year's funding overrun. While Abdelfattah acknowledged that the cap may affect only a minority of clinical pharmacists overall, he argued however that those most likely to be affected are pharmacists who regularly provide front-line clinical services in community settings. He also feels that the agreement does little to address what some pharmacists see as a growing burden of uncompensated clinical work, including prescribing follow-ups, OTC consultations and health screenings.Abdelfattah recently surveyed 184 Alberta pharmacists about the agreement. More than 80% of respondents reported concerns about tightening margins or practice viability, while nearly eight in 10 identified the new Maintenance Medication List requirements as a major concern.Rural pharmacies could be particularly affected, he added, because pharmacists often serve as the most accessible healthcare provider in those communities."If I reach my cap and I'm the only pharmacist in a rural community, what happens when a patient comes in needing care?" he said.When asked whether the agreement sufficiently addresses the financial and operational pressures facing community pharmacies, Aileen Jang, president of the RxA, said many members have welcomed both the long-awaited increase to dispensing fees and the certainty the funding framework provides."Many members appreciate having a stable framework in place through to March 31, 2029, as well as the significance of the dispensing fee increase, which has been a longstanding advocacy priority for RxA," Jang told the Canadian Healthcare Network in a statement.At the same time, she acknowledged that many pharmacists are still trying to understand how the changes will affect their day-to-day operations and noted that community pharmacies continue to grapple with challenges such as staffing shortages, rising costs and growing demand for pharmacist-provided care.Jang said the agreement's planned pilot projects—including work on alternative compensation models, point-of-care testing, health screening and rural pharmacy support—could help determine whether different funding approaches are needed for specific patient populations or practice settings.While the agreement is "not a spike-the-football-after-a-touchdown-type-of-satisfaction," Winston said it provides stability and growth for now. He agrees with Jang that the agreement's pilot projects and future negotiations could provide an opportunity to rethink how pharmacists are compensated, particularly as their clinical responsibilities continue to expand, he concluded. "I would look forward to having a better discussion about trying to gather better data," he said. "Then we can start to shape the service framework to where it's most needed."

Alberta pharmacists weigh the benefits, trade-offs of its long-awaited new funding deal

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