PBS co-payment must halve: Twomey

MEDICINES affordability will be a key issue in the next Federal election campaign, with Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, Trent Twomey, calling for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme general co-payment to be slashed.

Addressing pharmacy owners during a Guild webinar on Wed, Twomey said the $41.30 co-payment was “ridiculous for a chronic disease medicine, it is far too expensive” for many Australians.

“We do not have universal healthcare if every element of Australia’s primary healthcare system is not truly accessible to all Australians,” he said.

Twomey noted that one-in-five people in marginal electorates, and 12.5% of people across the country, were not getting their medicines dispensed regularly, because they were not affordable.

“Compliance and accessibility are only one part of the quality use of medicines in Australia,” he said.

“If people simply can’t afford to get the basics what’s the use of having big shiny tertiary hospitals with bells and whistles when people are being hospitalised simply for chronic diseases that could have been easily and cheaply prevented.

“We are working hand-in-glove with the Government, but I have to tell you we are getting a much better response from the opposition on reducing the general co-payment.

“That $41 co-payment needs to halve, and halve soon.

“It is out of reach for an essential service for most working Australians, and if you’re on two or three medicines it’s completely unaffordable.

“The amount of money that we have wasted over the course of this [COVID-19] pandemic, because we could’ve done things more effectively, would’ve been far more efficiently spent if it was invested in restoring the principles of universal access to the PBS.

“That is exactly what your Guild will be taking to the next election, not just on your behalf, but on behalf of all your patients as well.”