Sick save big bucks on vital medicines

SICK Australians will save $500 million over four years and up to $200 a year each on the cost of medicines, following an announcement by Health Minister Greg Hunt.

Drugs to treat diseases and illnesses like breast cancer, mental health, eczema, psoriasis and Parkinson’s disease will have prices slashed in a bid to ease cost of living pressures for millions of Australians.

More than 1100 medicines will have their prices cut from April 1.

Among the biggest savings include Rosuvastatin, a pill taken by close to half a million Australians to reduce high cholesterol and heart conditions, which will see a 22 per cent reduction in price from $27.91 a script to $21.77.

About 138,000 patients suffering depression or anxiety will see scripts cut from $34.91 to $28.08.

Mometasone ointment to treat eczema and psoriasis for 330,000 patients per year will be 14 per cent cheaper or a savings of $5.20 a script.

Anastrozole for breast cancer will see 11,000 sufferers pay $6.47 less per script. And 14,000 patients taking pramipexole for Parkinson’s disease will get a 21 per cent drop in price ($7.61 per script).

The savings will equate to more than $200 a year for some patients needing treatment for multiple conditions.

For instance a non-concessional patient with breast cancer, generalised anxiety disorder and chronic pain could save up to $17.91 per month on scripts, or a yearly reduction of $214.92.

A non-concessional patient with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, eczema and depression would save up to $16.92 per month on scripts or $203.04 a year.

New drugs to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme include those for two rare cancers, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and an advanced type of skin cancer, and treatments for psoriasis, arthritis, schizophrenia and iron deficiency.

Mr Hunt said savings would be “considerable”.

“These reductions are expected to save Australian families $135 million over the next four years and will also deliver estimated savings to taxpayers of $455 million,” he said.

“Part of our rock solid commitment to Medicare is ensuring people have access to medicine when they need it.”

Australian Medical Association President Michael Gannon said it was vital to reduce the cost of medicines so that battlers didn’t skip filling their prescriptions.

PART OF OUR ROCK SOLID COMMITMENT TO MEDICARE IS ENSURING PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO MEDICINE WHEN THEY NEED IT HEALTH MINISTER GREG HUNT