Australia’s peak medicines industry group says it takes 466 days for approved medicines to become subsidised. Health Minister Mark Butler agrees that it’s too long.
Australians pay some of the lowest medicine prices in the world for a reason:our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Here’s how it works and why it’s being threatened.
Labor will bring the patient co-payment for subsidised medicines down to $25 from $31.60 as it wages an election battle over healthcare.
Thousands of Australian women will soon save hundreds – and in some cases,thousands – of dollars a year for fertility,contraception and endometriosis treatments under an ALP pledge.
The survey also found 40 per cent of private hospital patients were being slugged with out-of-pocket specialist fees of more than $1000 – and many weren’t informed of all costs in advance.
The pitch is designed to sharpen the ALP’s contrast with Peter Dutton and takes Labor’s Medicare pledges over recent weeks to nearly $10 billion.
A noble goal has been turned into a political football,writes Lucy France.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will make it cheaper to see a doctor by paying GPs more if they bulk-bill all adult patients in a major election pitch to middle Australia.
Analysis suggests that extending bulk-billing incentives to under-35s would save young people $42 a visit in average doctor’s fees,while preventing 9000 hospitalisations.
It will also be cheaper for women to get long-acting contraceptives and menopause assessments,in a significant package that Labor says will save women thousands of dollars.