A recipe is not the same as a recipe. Whether pink, green or yellow – the color of the pick-up slip for tablets or ointments is anything but a coincidence.
The color shows, for example, who bears the costs or how long you can redeem it. The North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center points this out. An overview:
The doctor issues a pink prescription for medicines that are covered by statutory health insurance. In the pharmacy you still have to pull out your wallet, because the insured have to make an additional payment.
This is ten percent of the price, but at least five and a maximum of ten euros. If the drug costs less than five euros, you have to bear the entire cost yourself.
By the way: You should not take too much time redeeming a pink prescription: after 28 days it is no longer valid.
In the case of a yellow prescription, you should certainly not put off redeeming it for a long time – it is only valid for seven days.
This type of prescription applies to drugs that fall under the Narcotics Act. According to the consumer center, these are, for example, strong painkillers, ADHD medication or drug substitutes such as methadone.
A green prescription means: The drug does not require a prescription. The prescription is therefore valid indefinitely.
The disadvantage of the green prescription is that you have to pay for the medicine yourself – regardless of whether you have statutory or private insurance.
According to the consumer center NRW, it can be worthwhile to ask the health insurance company whether the costs can be reimbursed – at least in part.
