It's now going to be a lot easier to get prescriptions renewed in Alberta.

The Alberta government and the Alberta Pharmacists' Association made an announcement Wednesday morning stating pharmacists will now be compensated for providing a number of services.

"Albertans can go directly to one of the over 1,000 pharmacies in Alberta to have a prescription refilled," says Minister of Health, Fred Horne.

"Albertans now also have the same direct access to have a prescription adjusted or injected as necessary and a pharmacist can work with them to develop plans to manage their medication over the long term."

Along with providing those services, pharmacists can also administer medication in an emergency situation and, with the proper prescribing authority, prescribe medication.

However Horne says the new services will compliment, but not replace a doctor's diagnosis.

"Pharmacists and doctors each bring a different specialty to healthcare, so making better use of a pharmacists specialty also makes better use of a doctors and patients time," says Horne.

Pharmacists will be paid per service ranging from $20 for renewing prescriptions to $100 for complex annual care plans.

The cost of the services pharmacists can bill for will be covered primarily by savings from the reduction of generic drug prices.

On July 1, the government lowered what it pays for generic drugs from 45% to 35%, which is expected to save $85 million in 2012/2013.