ADVANCED Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) has welcomed the Labor Government's $8.5 billion investment in Medicare reform, calling it "a vital step toward improving access to Australia's struggling health system".
Announced on the weekend, with the Coalition opposition committing to match it, this is the largest investment in Medicare since its inception 40 years ago.
By expanding the bulk billing incentive to all Australians, the reform will significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs for GP visits.
AdPha President Tom Simpson explained the investment will help limit unnecessary emergency department visits but urges further action to improve medicineaffordability.
"Each year, 400,000 Australians visit emergency departments for conditions that could often be prevented through regular GP visits and proper medication management," Simpson said.
"Expanding bulk billing is a great step forward, but if we don't also address the cost of medicines, more Australians will continue to end up in hospitals unnecessarily.
"Currently, 250,000 Australians are admitted to hospitals each year due to medication-related issues, some of which can be linked to the cost of medicines," he said.
"We applaud the government for making it easier for Australians to visit their GP without relying on their credit card.
"But if we truly want to reduce hospital admissions, people shouldn't also have to worry about their bank balance when purchasing essential medicines."
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is among the many peak health and medicine bodies welcoming the funding announcement, saying it will make a difference to the sustainability of bulk billing and general practices, but warns not everyone will benefit from the bulk billingincentives.
"In areas where practices and GPs have recently had to introduce small out-of-pocket charges, this will improve things for their situation and potentially mean that they can reverse those out-of-pocket charges for patients," said AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen at a press conference.
"But it won't mean that all general GPs will be able to bulk bill all patients.
"We know in some of our metropolitan centres and in some of our better-off suburbs, the average out-of-pocket cost is now above $40 and so the $20 bulk billing incentive still doesn't come close to meeting those costs," sheexplained.
"But really, I do hope this will make a difference in rural and regional communities and in our areas of socioeconomic disadvantage, where GPs have been really trying as hard as they can to keep those costs down and we'll be able to bulk bill more patients." KB
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 25 Feb 25
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 25 Feb 25
