Pharmacy Daily | PBS co-payment cut garners support

THE Federal Government's proposed National Health Amendment (General Co-payment) Bill 2022 has passed through the House of Representatives with "tripartisan" support.

Debating the legislation yesterday, Independent MP, Dr Sophie Scamps, said the proposed cut to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) general co-payment from $42.50 to $30 per prescription was "a small but significant and important cost-of-living measure".

The GP noted that the legislation has been supported by pharmacists in her Sydney-based electorate.

"One pharmacist in particular, who owns pharmacies in both my electorate of MacKellar and in Western Sydney, expressly told me how critically important this Bill will be in his Western Sydney practice," she said.

"He described how it is increasingly common for customers to ask their pharmacist which medicines are the least essential, because they can't afford all of them.

"He told me that he believes cutting the cost of medications to a maximum of $30 a script will make a significant difference to many of his customers.

"As a GP developing treatment plans for the average everyday Australian, I know that the cost of medications and therapies needs to be taken into account.

"I would like to acknowledge that the former government pursued this goal by decreasing the PBS safety net threshold.

"This Bill goes one step further by limiting the cost of each individual script for those not already on concession cards.

"But decreasing the cost of medicines is only a start when it comes to equity of access to health care in Australia.

"So I take this opportunity to call on the government to do more to make health care more accessible for all Australians."

Welcoming the passage of the Bill, Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, Trent Twomey, said it was the most significant change to the cost of medicines since the PBS was established 75 years ago.

"This will help reduce medicine non-adherence which directly contributes to higher healthcare costs, including preventable hospital admissions and readmission," Twomey said.