LEGISLATION cutting the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) General Co-payment from $42.50 to $30, will come into effect from 01 Jan 2023, after passing through the Federal Senate today.
The National Health Amendment (General Co-payment) Bill 2022 received cross-party support through both the House of Representatives (PD 29 Sep) and the Senate.
Minister for Health, Mark Butler, noted the legislation marked the first time in the 75-year history of the PBS that the maximum cost of prescriptions funded by the program would fall.
"Pharmacists tell me stories of their customers coming in with a handful of prescriptions asking for advice about which script they can go without, because they can't afford to fill them all," he said.
"Our delivery of cheaper medicines will make that choice redundant for millions of Australians."
Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, Trent Twomey, said the co-payment cut was an important first step in returning the universality of access to medicines across the country.
"We heard the cry from families struggling to meet the costs of medicines that something needed to be done," he said.
"I'd like to thank the Australian Parliament for recognising the importance of making medicines more affordable for Australians.
"I'd also like to thank the almost 6,000 pharmacies across Australia, who through the Guild have told our politicians of families paying for multiple medicines, having to choose which medicines they could afford.
"We look forward to continuing our work with the Government on further reducing the co-payment to $19."
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