The prices of antigenic tests and self-tests for Covid-19 screening dispensed in pharmacies were significantly reduced on Tuesday, February 15.
After a record month of January, with nearly 46 million Covid tests, including more than 31 million antigens, the price of screening in pharmacies has been reduced by 20%.
The price paid by Medicare for “sampling and analysis” goes from 19 to 15 euros, to which is always added the flat rate of 5 euros for recording the result in the SI-Dep computer file.
20% to 35% decrease for self-tests
The “sharp increase in the number of antigen tests” linked to “the evolution of the epidemic situation” justified “to adjust the valuation parameters”according to the decree published on Saturday in Official newspaper. The government is also seeking to limit the cost for Social Security. The bill is already estimated at 1.6 billion euros for January, almost the provision included in the budget for the whole of 2022.
The price drop also concerns self-tests, which can no longer be sold in supermarkets. The restoration of the pharmacy monopoly is accompanied by a 20% to 35% reduction in the unit price, from 5.20 to 4.10 euros for children and 3.35 euros for adults.
Wholesalers’ prices are aligned ten cents below, reducing pharmacists’ margins to a bare minimum. A choice again justified by “the evolution of the selling prices of self-tests (…) and their sales volumes”according to the same decree.