As of January 1, 2023, calcium and vitamin D supplements are no longer reimbursed by the health insurer. Many patients with osteoporosis use these supplements to maintain their bone, often in combination with osteoporosis medications. To limit costs, doctors and pharmacists are advised to buy these supplements from the drugstore.
The prices at the drugstore are often lower than the prices of the supplements made by pharmaceutical companies and sold in the pharmacy. This often means that you have to switch to 2 tablets per day instead of the 'old' tablet in which the calcium and vitamin D are combined in 1 tablet (eg the 'calcichew D3' tablet).