PBS expenditure is contained and sustainable
February 25, 2014
The very significant speech by
the Minister for Health, Peter
Dutton, last week has shone a
spotlight on health spending and
its future.
All aspects of health spending
are in the spotlight, and that
includes the PBS. Quite rightly,
every bit of taxpayers’ money
that is spent on health or any
other portfolio must be properly
scrutinised.
It is also important that the
debate focuses on the most
up-to-date figures. The fact is
that Government expenditure
on the PBS is currently not
only sustainable, but actually
declined last financial year.
In the past few months, major
reports from three separate
government agencies have
confirmed that PBS expenditure
is contained and that price
disclosure is delivering savings
far in excess of what was
expected.
The regular Medicines
Partnership of Australia (MPA)
PBS Scorecard update released
last week outlines the current
state and trajectory of PBS
spending.
It confirms that price disclosure
has been and continues to be
an extremely effective tool in
ensuring that PBS expenditure
remains contained and
sustainable.
The Medicines Partnership
of Australia PBS scorecard
can be viewed at www.
medicinespartnership.com.
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