[Consequences of changing from fixed amount payments to percentage payment of drugs]

Two pharmacies in Drammen recorded and analyzed 1,155 prescriptions in February 1989. The purpose was to compare the proportion of costs paid by customers and national reimbursement by percentage patient copayment (20%) and fixed amount as copayment (NOK 60). On average the patient's copayment increased by 23.9%. All prescriptions below NOK 300 were cheaper for the patient by percentage copayment, while all above NOK 300 were more expensive. For medical equipment items the copayment increased by 74%. When calculated for Norway the increase in patient copayment amounts to about NOK 50 million. The costs of reimbursement were reduced by 2.4%. About 30% of the total reimbursement refers to cardiovascular diseases.