FEDERAL member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters visited Terry White Chemmart Pharmacy in White Hills last week to speak about legislation introduced to Parliament that will mean a prescription on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) will cost no more than $25 from 1 January next year.<\/p>\n
This represents an over 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines, which is expected to save Australians over $200 million each year.<\/p>\n
Pensioners and concession cardholders will also continue to benefit from the freeze to the cost of their PBS medicines at its current level of $7.70 until 2030.<\/p>\n
The announcement builds on action the Federal Government has already taken to deliver cost of living relief through cheaper medicines, including a 25 per cent reduction in the number of scripts a concessional patient must fill before the PBS Safety Net kicks in (July 2022).<\/p>\n
Ms Chesters said the effect on Bendigo residents has been massive.<\/p>\n
“Our community has already saved almost $9 million on cheaper medicines, and under the Labor Government they will save even more,” she said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s Victorian Branch vice president Kin Chong said as a community pharmacist he witnesses every day how rising costs are affecting patients.<\/p>\n
“That’s why I strongly welcome the recent announcement to reduce the PBS co-payment,” he said.<\/p>\n
“This is a meaningful step toward easing the burden on hardworking Australians during a difficult cost-of-living period.<\/p>\n
“This announcement reflects progress in the right direction. It’s a win for our patients.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FEDERAL member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters visited Terry White Chemmart Pharmacy in White Hills last week to speak about legislation introduced to Parliament that will mean a prescription on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) will cost no more than $25 from 1 January next year. This represents an over 20 per cent cut in the […]<\/p>\n