Pharmacy Daily | Better access for concession patients

IN SENATE estimates yesterday, officials confirmed that only 23% of PBS medicines are dispensed on the Safety Net Card for Concessional Patients.

That means the majority of concessional patients are paying 50 cents more per script without any hope of relief as Australia's inflationary pressures mount day upon day.

With another 50-cent increase looming on 01 Jan 2024, the organisation that seeks to make healthcare more affordable and equitable for all, Better Access Australia, is calling on the Government to act on this Budget to freeze indexation on patient co-payments until the economy is in better shape.

Better Access Australia is also calling for automating the PBS safety net consistent with the Medicare Benefits Scheme safety net, which would ensure all patients get the benefit of the PBS safety net.

Costs for this automation could be offset by the removal of the current manual safety processing fee paid to pharmacy, Better Access said.

In its Budget submission, it asks that there be recognition of the capacity and cost-effectiveness of greater use of pharmacists and nurses in the delivery of primary care, to improve both timeliness and affordability of care for patients and the health system.

Better Access Australia Chair, Felicity McNeill said: "Better Access Australia has been asking for the Government to freeze the annual CPI indexation of PBS co-pays for concessional patients for the past two years.

"The Government has instead argued that the PBS safety net is enough to protect concession card holders, but as the department has confirmed, only 23% of scripts are dispensed under this card.

"This means over 144m scripts are attracting the full 50-cent price hike every time a concession card holder fills their script.

"144m scripts for diabetes, heart disease, asthma, depression, arthritis, infection, and pain are all 50 cents more expensive every month for those least able to pay," McNeill noted.

"Concession card holders use an average of 17 PBS scripts a year - and with the safety net not kicking in until 36 scripts, there's no relief in sight as these stats disclosed yesterday confirm.

"General patients have had their co-pay reduced by $15.50 since 01 Jan, concessional patients have had a price hike of 50 cents since the same date.

"Worst still with inflation still at 7.8% another 50-cent increase on 01 Jan 2024 is inevitable unless the Government acts in this budget.

"Better Access Australia applauds the Government's changes to the general co-pay but the same equality of affordable access must be given to those least able to pay for healthcare - concessional patients," McNeill concluded.