Changes to affect a range of expenses

FROM today, a raft of changes are coming to welfare, health, education and many other living expenses.

In changes to health care, a pill to treat multiple sclerosis called Mavenclad that could cost a patient $54,000 a year is added to the PBS from today.

With the PBS listing, patients will pay just $40.30 a script or $6.50 if they are concessional patients.

The first medicine to effectively treat the life-threatening condition known as Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) that affects around 10,000 Australians is now on the PBS, saving patients $23,000 a year.

The cost of a normal script will increase to $40.30 – up from $39.50 – with concession patients hit with a 10 cent rise per prescription.

All student income support recipients will be automatically issued with a Health Care Card to get cheaper medicines and some discounts.

In child care, the In Home Care (IHC) Family Hourly Rate Cap has increased to $32.

The number of IHC places will also increase to 3200 to help with the costs of child care.

Passport fees will also increase from today. A 10-year passport for persons aged 16 and over will be $293. A fiveyear passport for children under 16 and persons aged 75 and over will cost $148.

The FEE-HELP loan cap for students studying medicine, dentistry and veterinary science courses will increase from an estimated $130,552 in 2019 to a new limit of $150,000, up 15 per cent.

Students studying all other courses will have a loan limit of $104,440.

From today, the 25 per cent FEE-HELP loan fee will be abolished for domestic undergraduate students at Bond University and other “Table B Providers”. Students in secondary school studying away from home may be entitled to an ABSTUDY Living Allowance payment increase.