Australians are being encouraged to fill their prescriptions for medicines in a new campaign from the Department of Health and Aged Care aimed at raising awareness of a recent change to the maximum out-of-pocket cost.
Welcoming the Department’s campaign, Minister for Health, Mark Butler said the maximum out of pocket cost for most medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) now was $12.50 lower than it used to be.
“Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that more than three quarters of a million people put off buying medication because of the cost in the 2021-22 financial year,” Mr Butler said.
“The ABS data shows that those who delay buying needed medicines are more likely to be younger, female, live in poorer and disadvantaged areas and live with a long-term health condition.”
He said the Department’s campaign aimed to reduce the number of people putting off buying medicines because of cost by promoting awareness of the reduced co-payment and encouraging Australians to speak with their local pharmacist about their medication and how they can save.
Mr Butler said Australians had already saved more than $36 million on PBS medicines since the reduced co-payment came into effect on 1 January.
“If the savings for the first two months are repeated across the course of 2023, the total savings flowing back into the pockets of Australians with a Medicare card will amount to $218 million, which is more than the $200 million in annual savings that the government had been forecasting before the price reduction came into effect,” the Minister said.
“Someone taking one medication a month could save as much as $150 every year, or a family taking two or three medications could save as much as $300-$450 a year,” he said.
