Overview

• Laumann suggests allowing patients with stable conditions such as high blood pressure to receive a year’s supply of medication with a single prescription.
• He points out that pharmacists already have the authority to measure blood pressure and receive reimbursement from health insurers for these services.
• The minister argues local pharmacies represent the simplest access point to the healthcare system and can handle additional tasks to ease pressure on general practitioners.
• He says the current fee system incentivizes unnecessary appointments by encouraging doctors to schedule patient visits even when those appointments are not needed.
• The plan builds on reforms that addressed critical medication shortages last October and introduced gatekeeping by general practitioners in May 2025 to streamline patient access.