Assessment and Prescribing for Allergic Rhinitis (Seasonal Allergies) by Pharmacists

The assessment and prescribing for allergic rhinitis (seasonal allergies) by a pharmacist may be eligible for coverage by the Department of Health effective July 17, 2025. Each patient is eligible for a maximum of three (3) allergic rhinitis assessments per one-year period.

This program does not cover drugs, or the costs associated with dispensing or administering drugs.

The assessment and prescribing service is not eligible if the patient qualifies for a prescription renewal service under the Prescription Renewals by Pharmacists program.

Assessment of allergic rhinitis, with or without prescribing, may be eligible for coverage provided all the following criteria are met:

Patient

• The patient presents with signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis.
• The patient is not pregnant.
• The patient is 2 years of age or older.
• The patient must have a valid Medicare card and not reside in a nursing home or a correctional facility.
• A maximum of one (1) allergic rhinitis initial assessment services per patient within the past 12 months.
• A maximum of two (2) allergic rhinitis subsequent assessment services per patient within the past 12 months.

Pharmacist

• The service is conducted by a pharmacist licensed with the NB College of Pharmacists (NBCP).
• The pharmacist must comply with all applicable NBCP requirements and standards.
• The pharmacist must obtain consent from the patient, guardian, or substitute decision maker for the service being provided.  
• The assessment should be conducted in person whenever possible; however, virtual assessments may be eligible for coverage in cases where patients face barriers to attending in-person appointments. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals with disabilities, those requiring caregiver support, or those without access to transportation.
• If the service is provided virtually,
  • the assessment must be conducted as a direct, real-time (synchronous) interaction with the patient (e.g., via audio call, video call), and
  • the pharmacist must be physically present at the participating provider pharmacy location while conducting the service.
• The pharmacist must document a follow-up plan that is sufficiently detailed to monitor the patient’s progress and ensure continuity of care.
  
• When prescribing a drug, the pharmacist will notify the patient’s physician or nurse practitioner when one exists. If one does not exist, the pharmacist will provide the patient with a copy of this notification.

Prescription

• If a Schedule 1 drug is prescribed, it must be:
  • dispensed on the same day as the assessment is submitted for payment; and
  • dispensed from the pharmacy submitting the assessment, unless the patient chooses to fill the prescription at another pharmacy, however this must be documented on the assessment and prescribing tool.
• If an over-the-counter (OTC) product is prescribed, it must be:
  • approved by Health Canada for allergic rhinitis or is widely accepted as best practice in Canada and supported by medical literature demonstrating safety and efficacy for allergic rhinitis; and
  • provided to the patient with specific dosing instructions.
• If OTC products are provided to the patient without documented specific instructions for use, the assessment fee is not eligible.

The Department of Health will pay participating providers for each claim billed for eligible patients in New Brunswick. The participating provider is not permitted to charge additional fees to the patient for the services which have been paid for by the Department of Health.

Patients who present with ocular and nasal symptoms of seasonal allergies can be assessed for both allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis. However, payment is limited to one assessment fee.

The applicable assessment fees are outlined below:

Table 1

Pharmacists must document how the patient meets the eligibility criteria for this policy and use an appropriate assessment and prescribing tool.

The assessment and prescribing tool must be used to document the following (as applicable):

• Patient, guardian, substitute decision maker consent
• In-person or virtual assessment
  • If virtual care was provided, include:
    • the form of communication (e.g., audio call, video call), and
    • the reason the service was provided virtually.
• Patient assessment
• Treatment plan, including:
  • Prescription(s)
  • Specific instructions for use for over-the-counter products
• Follow-up plan
• Referral
• Notification of the patient’s physician or nurse practitioner when one exists. If one does not exist, the pharmacist will document that they have provided the patient with a copy of this notification.
• Completed follow-up information

Manual claims will not be accepted. Claims must be submitted online and include the following information:

All claims submitted by participating providers for reimbursement are subject to audit and recovery.

Claims for service fees for providing the following types of services are excluded:

• Assessments resulting in the following therapies:
  • Over-the-counter products provided to the patient without documented specific instructions for use.
  • Over-the-counter products not approved by Health Canada for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, or not widely accepted as best practice in Canada and supported by medical literature demonstrating safety and efficacy for allergic rhinitis.