When can I claim Broken Bulk?
Q. When can I claim for broken bulk?
A. Broken Bulk (BB) is a term that is applied to a prescription endorsement that entitles the pharmacy to reimbursement for the whole pack of a product when they have only dispensed part of the pack.
Subsequent prescriptions for the same product will not be reimbursed until the whole pack has been used.
You should only claim broken bulk where it is unlikely that you are going to be able to dispense the remainder of the pack within the following six months of the dispensed item.
For claims to be accepted the prescription must be fulfilled from a whole pack or combination of packs so that residual balance is minimized as much as possible
Broken bulk can only be claimed for certain items:
| Drug Tariff sections where you CAN claim | Drug Tariff sections where you CANNOT claim |
|---|---|
| Readily available medicinal products outside of Part VIIIA | Special containers |
| Part IXB | Part IXA |
| Part IXC | Part IXR |
| Part VIIIA Category A and M products with smallest listed pack size of £50 or over | Part VIIIA Cat A & M products with smallest pack size of less than £50 |
| Part VIIIA Category C | |
| Part VIIID (except special containers) | Part VIIIB |
| Ingredients used to prepare an unlicensed special (extemporaneous dispensing) | All non-Drug Tariff unlicensed Specials and Imports (Except claiming for individual ingredients used to prepare extemporaneous specials) |
Contractors claiming BB should endorse the prescription with BB and the quantity supplied over the pack size.
The prescription should then be separated and submitted using a red separator.
This Tariff Tip applies to England and Wales only.
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If you have any questions about the Drug Tariff call Information Services on 0800 783 5709* option 2