THE eighth Community Pharmacy Agreement (8CPA) aims to provide a better deal for pharmacies and deliver a funding boost of $3 billion and a total $26.5 billion in funding over five years.
Signed yesterday (PD 03 Jun), key details of the funding package include $22.5 billion for community pharmacies to dispense prescriptions to patients.
The government stated that from 01 Jul, it is establishing a new Additional Community Supply Support Payment of $2.1 billion, which will replace the Regional Pharmacy Transition Allowance.
The Additional Community Supply Support Payment will give pharmacists "more confidence to continue delivering services for their patients, particularly cheaper medicines through 60-day prescribing, without increasing patient fees", said the Federal Health Minister Mark Butler.
The Federal Government will provide $1.05 billion over five years for other pharmacy services and programs, including MedsChecks, and Staged Supply of medicines.
As announced in the Federal Budget 2024-2025 (PD 15 May), $484.4 million will cover the costs of a one-year freeze on the maximum PBS co-payment for everyone with a Medicare card, and up to a five-year freeze for pensioners and other concession cardholders in Australia.
"The 8CPA will deliver even more cost-of-living relief through cheaper medicines, thanks to the temporary freeze on indexation of PBS co-payments," said Butler.
"This is in addition to the more than $370 million Australians have already saved through last year's cut to the maximum patient copayment and the introduction of 60-day prescriptions."
The 8CPA allocates $196.7 million to increase the number of patients who can receive funded Dose Administration Aid services.
Importantly, included in the agreement's funding pool is the provision for $103.3 million for new and improved pharmacy-based programs. JG
Pictured (L-R): Health Dept Secretary Blair Comley, Guild Vic President Anthony Tassone, Butler, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Guild National President Trent Twomey, Assistant Health Minister Emma McBride, and Guild's Executive Director Gerard Benedet, and Health Dept's Deputy Secretary Penny Shakespeare.
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