PBS reforms to save $344m

NEXT Mon’s latest round of changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is being estimated at saving Australian taxpayers more than $344 million, with Health Minister Greg Hunt saying the changes will also provide ongoing support for the listing of more new medicines on the PBS.

Prices will be reduced on a total of 24 medicines, sold as a total of 226 brands, with Hunt highlighting changes for non-concessional patients such as pregabalin which will cost $33.38 per script (a saving of up to $6.12); valsartan with hydrochlorothiazide for $23.96 (saving $2.18); and dorzolamide for $19.18 (a saving of $3.02).

Yesterday the Health Department made public the 01 Oct 2018 Price Disclosure Confirmed Prices (see pbs.gov.au), which are the result of the “Fifth Remove Originator Cycle” of the ongoing PBS reform process.

Other items affected in this round include nicorandil, capecitabine, frusemide, adefovir, azacitidine, bleomycin, bosentan, entecavir, imatinimb, infliximab, valganciclovir and oxycodone.

The Minister noted that almost $10 billion worth of new medicines had been subsidised since the government came into power, with the department currently making on average one new or amended PBS listing each day.

“Our commitment to the PBS is rock solid...together with Medicare it is the foundation of our worldclass health care system,” he said.

The government has estimated more than 800,000 Australians will benefit from Mon’s price cuts.