Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the medicine can be delivered at your home or work address. Please be aware that a responsible representative must be available to accept and sign for the parcel, if you are not the receiver of the parcel. In remote outlying areas, a “to-door” delivery may take longer and an alternate collection point may be more efficient.
- You will receive a short message service (SMS) with a tracking number for the parcel.
- You will be required to sign for the parcel at the collection point counter. Please remember that the person collecting the parcel needs to produce their identity document (ID) upon receipt of the parcel. If you do not have a cellular phone, a consultant will contact you, and advise you of the tracking number.
Each parcel is accompanied by a “Delivery Note”. This communique states:
- the items that are on file for the next dispatch.
- the number of repeats still available for each item.
- the delivery address to which it is scheduled to be dispatched to.
- the date that the following parcel will be available for collection or delivery.
- the price of the claim submitted to the scheme.
Parcels containing fridge line items (e.g. Insulin), are packaged and dispatched at 17H00 each day. The parcel is marked as “Refrigerated and Fragile” and sent with ice packs so as to maintain the correct storage conditions.
- Medipost Pharmacy, just as any other pharmacy, needs a copy of your doctor’s original prescription before dispensing any medication. This is a legal requirement.
- A repeat prescription expires up to six months from the date written on the prescription.
- You will be reminded (in writing and telephonically) to furnish Medipost Pharmacy with a renewed doctor\’s prescription one month before your last repeat is dispatched, and monthly thereafter. Further medication will not be sent until a new prescription is received.
- The medication is wrapped in a suitable buffer material so that no breakages occur during transit. All items originally in fragile containers are decanted into plastic containers and labelled appropriately.
- Each parcel is sent via overnight courier services and is tracked at every point of movement. A unique tracking number is allocated to each parcel and can be traced with ease.
- In cases where the collection point is used, the nominated person who collects or accepts the parcel is required to sign for the medication and produce their ID document as proof upon receipt.
- Medipost is committed to keeping your personal details as well as your treatment details confidential. To keep your medication confidential we can deliver your medication to a address of your choice, where you can collect when convenient for you.
- Delivery does not need to be to your work or home address only.
- You can change your delivery address when you know that you will not be at the address indicated on our system. Please note that Medipost needs to be notified at least 7 working days before your scheduled delivery date. This is a helpful advantage especially when going on holiday.
- Delivery does not need to be to your work or home address only.
In accordance with legal requirements, all prescriptions for Schedule 6 and 7 items must comply with the following rules to deem them legal prescriptions:
- The prescription must be written by the doctor on the doctor’s letterhead. The prescription is only valid for 30 days from the date written on it.
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- The quantity of the product to be supplied must be written in words and figures.
- The prescription must be signed by the doctor. Only a 30 day supply of the item may be supplied to the patient for every 28 day cycle. This is regardless of the validiy of the prescription in the possession of the pharmacy.
- Only the original prescription can be used to dispense the medication.
- Please call the Customer Contact Centre to arrange for a collection of your S6 or S7 prescription. The original prescription will be collected at an address of your choice free of charge.
- No photocopies or facsimiles of prescriptions are acceptable. Items will be dispensed once the pharmacy is in possession of the original prescription.
Delivery Queries
Parcels will be delivered within 2 working days after receiving your tracking number. When your parcel is dispatched on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday delivery will only take place on Tuesday.
Generic Medication
Because generic medicines are less expensive than brand name medicines, there is a general misconception that it is not as good as the original brand-name medicines. This misconception carries a cost as members who continue using brand-name medicines are spending far more on medicines than is necessary. Higher claims for medicines translate to higher contributions for members.
Once a drug company has approval from the Medicine Control Council to sell their newly developed medicine, they have patent protection that effectively lasts between 5 and 15 years. During this time, no other company may manufacture this specific drug. Once the patent period has passed, any other drug company may make the medicine. They use exactly the same active ingredients but are not allowed to use the same commercial name as the original.
The difference in price is due to research costs. Before a medicine is approved, the drug company that developed it would have spent large sums of money on research and development. Once for sale on the market, this drug company will try to recover these costs and try to make a good profit on their investment. Generic medicines are cheaper as the manufacturers don’t have the associated costs for the long and expensive process of research and development. Other drug companies can simply copy the ingredients once the patent period has expired.
All medicines sold in the Republic of South Africa are registered by the Medicines Control Council (MCC). The MCC ensures that all generic medicines adhere to the same standards of safety, quality and effectiveness as the brand name alternative.
If the prescriber has written, in his or her own handwriting, on the prescription the words “no substitution” next to the item prescribed. Discuss the possible reasons for this with your doctor and pharmacists.
Generic Reference Pricing (GRP)
With Generic Reference Pricing, all medicines containing the same active ingredient at the same strength and in the same dosage form are grouped into a Generic Class. The GRP for this class is then based on the average price of all generic equivalents in this class.
- Generic equivalents that cost the same or less as the GRP will be reimbursed at 100% of cost.
- Branded products and other equivalents that cost more than the GRP will be reimbursed to the price of the GRP. The member will be liable for the difference between the medicine and the GRP.
- If an item is not on the scheme’s formulary
- If you prefer the original item and there is a generic replacement available.
- If your medical aid funds are depleted.
- The normal scheme rules and exceptions are applied to all prescriptions. Members have to follow the normal procedures with regards to registering their chronic medication. MMAP (Maximum Medical Aid Pricing) applies according to Scheme rules. Should your Medical Scheme for any reason reject payment of a claim, you as the member become responsible for any outstanding amounts. Should you run out of medication benefits before the end of the year you can continue to obtain your medication from us, as a private member.