60-day script changes: How Australians can get half price medicines and what’s on the list

From today, Australians can access half price prescriptions for the first time. Here is what you have to do to make the savings and what you can get.

Six million Australians are eligible for half price scripts from Frday but they will have to ask their doctor for a new prescription to make the savings.

HOW DO THE 60-DAY SCRIPTS WORK?

From today patients will be able to get 60 days supply of medicine instead of just 30 days as happens now. This means they will get two month’s supply of medicine for the price of one.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Patients who have a chronic, stable medical condition and who are taking regular medications for it.

HOW MUCH WILL YOU SAVE?

General patients could save up to $180 a year on their prescription charges for each medicine and pensioners and concession card holders will save $43 a year.

IN WHAT OTHER WAY WILL THE CHANGE HELP PEOPLE?

Patients will need to visit their pharmacy less to get medicine. They will also need to visit their GP less often to get a prescription freeing up doctors to concentrate on more weighty health problems.

New Prescription needed for 60 day supply. Picture: iStock

CAN YOU USE YOUR EXISTING PRESCRIPTION TO GET 60 DAY’S WORTH OF MEDICINE?

No. You will have to ask your GP for a new script for 60 day’s worth of medicine. Current scripts only cover 30 day dispensing.

ARE ALL MEDICINES HALF PRICE?

No. From today 60 day prescriptions will be available for 90 medicines including drugs for heart conditions, Crohn’s disease, high cholesterol, osteoporosis and high blood pressure.

Eventually, by September 2024 300 medicines will be affected by the policy.

WILL IT AFFECT WHETHER YOU QUALIFY FOR THE PBS THE SAFETY NET?

General patients who spend $1,563.50 on PBS medicines in a calendar year and pensioners and concessional patients who spend over $262.80 qualify for the PBS safety net and have their medicine costs reduced once they reach this threshold.

General patients pay just $7.30 for medicine once they hit the threshold and concession card holders get their medicines for free.

When you pay just one prescription charge for two months worth of medicine instead of a monthly charge it will take you longer to reach the safety net threshold.

However, it does not mean you will be spending more on medicine.

WILL THE CHANGE LEAD TO MEDICINE SHORTAGES?

Not likely. Most of the 90 medicines on the list are not in short supply and the government struck a deal that requires pharmaceutical companies to keep 4 months supply of medicines in the country from July 2023.

WILL CHEMISTS LOSE MONEY AS A RESULT OF THE MEASURE?

Chemists earn a dispensing fee worth over $17 every time they dispense a PBS medicine. They will receive this money less often under the 60 day policy but the new policy only affect a small number of medications on the PBS. The government is increasing the money it pays chemists to carry out other programs such as opioid dispensing, visits to aged care homes and has promised to return all the $1.2 billion saved from the new policy to pharmacists. Rural pharmacies have had their rural pharmacy allowance doubled and the government will spend a further $143 million to compensate them for their losses under the policy. From next year chemists will be paid to provide childhood immunisations and in many states can charge a $20-$55 fee to write prescriptions for certain medications like antibiotics for urinary tract infections.

WILL CHEMISTS CLOSE DOWN AS A RESULT OF THE MEASURE?

The Pharmacy Guild has commissioned a report which estimates between 200 and 600 pharmacies could close under the changes. Health Minister Mark Butler has said since he announced the new policy application for new pharmacy allowances have doubled.

WILL CHEMISTS CHARGE FOR SERVICES?

Chemists have threatened to charge for service like filling webster packs for aged care homes. Health Minister Mark Butler has said this would be illegal. “That is not permitted legally. Aged care facilities are funded for that service. The principles make it clear that they are prohibited from charging aged care residents for that service,” he said.

Originally published as 60-day script changes: How Australians can get half price medicines and what’s on the list