WILLEMSTAD – The Regulatory Authority of Curaçao (RAC) has confirmed that a planned investigation into the reimbursement paid to pharmacies for processing prescriptions never began because the Association of Pharmacy Owners (VAE) failed to provide the financial information required for the study.
The clarification follows recent statements by VAE in the media claiming that pharmacy owners had already submitted the necessary figures for an investigation into the prescription dispensing fee, known in Dutch as the "receptregelvergoeding."
Minister of Health, Environment and Nature Tyron Boekhoudt formally requested an explanation from RAC to establish whether the association's statements were accurate.
In its response, RAC directly contradicted VAE's account, stating that the financial information necessary to conduct the investigation had never been submitted.
Investigation Was Proposed in April 2024
According to RAC, discussions with VAE began in 2024 regarding a proposed cost and efficiency investigation into Curaçao's pharmacy sector.
The objective was to determine a justified reimbursement rate for each prescription processed by pharmacies, using current and verifiable financial information.
On April 11, 2024, RAC submitted a formal research proposal to VAE outlining the information required to conduct the investigation.
The requested documentation included annual financial statements, production figures, staffing information, and details about the pharmacies' revenue and expenditure structures.
Four days later, on April 15, VAE acknowledged receipt of the proposal and committed to responding as soon as possible.
However, RAC states that no substantive response followed.
On May 8, 2024, the regulator sent a reminder requesting a response to the research proposal, but according to RAC, the association still did not provide the information needed to proceed.
Pharmacy Owners Objected to Financial Disclosure
The disagreement became more explicit on December 5, 2024, when VAE raised objections to submitting annual financial statements and including revenue from drugstore activities in the proposed investigation.
The Ministry of Health subsequently informed VAE that annual financial figures were essential to conducting a reliable assessment.
RAC maintains that the necessary documentation was never delivered.
As a result, the regulator says it was unable to begin the planned cost and efficiency investigation.
The authority also rejected any suggestion that it has been conducting an investigation for several years without completing it.
According to RAC, no such investigation is currently awaiting completion because the research could not start without the required cooperation from the pharmacy sector.
Dispute Raises Questions About Pharmacy Reimbursement
The disagreement comes amid growing tensions between pharmacy owners and the government over reimbursement arrangements and operating conditions in Curaçao's healthcare sector.
Pharmacy owners have been demanding attention to the financial pressures affecting their businesses, while the government insists that proposed tariff adjustments must be supported by independently verified financial information.
RAC's explanation places the disagreement over access to financial data at the center of the stalled investigation.
The regulator maintains that it cannot determine whether existing prescription fees are justified without examining the actual costs, revenues, and operational efficiency of the pharmacies involved.
For now, the proposed investigation remains on hold.
According to RAC, it can proceed only after the pharmacy owners provide the documentation required to establish an accurate financial picture of the sector.
The findings described in the ministry's announcement represent RAC's account of the exchanges with VAE. The association's response to the regulator's latest statements has not been included in the announcement.