New lower $25 fee for prescription medicines to cost budget $689 million.
The Government will tomorrow morning confirm a $6.60 reduction in the prescription copayment for Australians who don’t hold a health or concession card, who are now set to pay a maximum of $25.
The measure will be unveiled during the opening sessions of the Australian Pharmacy Professional Conference and Trade Exhibition on the Gold Coast tomorrow morning, with Pharmacy Guild of Australia President, Trent Twomey,welcoming the initiative as “a significant step towards relieving the financial burden of ill health and chronic conditions”.
“This will keep people healthier and prevent serious complications resulting from patients not taking their essential medicine,” he said.
It’s the second co-payment cut to be implemented by the Federal Labor Government, which reduced the copayment from $42.50 to $30 in 2023.
The decision follows lobbying by a coalition of over 20 health and community groups who united to call on the government to make medicines more affordable.
More details in tomorrow’s issue of Pharmacy Daily.
