Matt Burnett hits out at Flynn’s PBS medicine costs

“These are Australia’s forgotten women”: GP speaks out as new research shows nearly a third of women aged 35-45 without concession cards have found it difficult to pay for prescribed medicines in the past three years.

New research shows that nearly a third of women aged 35-45 without concession cards say they have found it difficult to pay for prescribed medicines in the past three years.

Research firm Insightfully conducted the research on behalf of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia found that 31 per cent of middle-income households between $60,000 to $100,000 annually found it difficult to afford medication on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

The co-payment for general patients has doubled since 2000, according to the Guild.

ABS figures show more than 900,000 people delayed or didn’t get a script in the 2019-20 financial year due to cost.

Guild president Professor Trent Twomey said it disproportionately affected women.

“What that means is that people are increasingly finding themselves having to choose between buying the medicines they need and other non-discretionary purchases like rent, groceries and petrol,” Prof Twomey said.

“They know exactly what a loaf of bread, a litre of milk and a rapid antigen test costs. And they know that it all adds up fast.

“I see mothers in my pharmacy forced to choose which child gets the medicines prescribed by the doctor or not filling their own scripts because there’s nothing left in the budget.

“These are Australia’s forgotten women.

“As community pharmacists, we are raising the alarm. When medicines become unaffordable, it means that there is no real universal access to the PBS which is the foundation of our health system.”

According to the research, voters in the electorates of Flynn and Dobell were most affected.

Gladstone mayor and Labor candidate for Flynn criticised the Federal Government for this issue.

“After nearly 10 years of the LNP, it’s disgraceful to think this is what we’ve come to expect from our Federal Government in Central Queensland,” Mr Burnett said.

“There is an unacceptable number of women in our community who are going without prescribed medicine because they can’t afford Scott Morrison’s cuts to Medicare and the PBS.

“Under the LNP, Central Queensland ranks nearly last on every metric Scott Morrison is responsible for.”

Mr Burnett was referring to GP availability, job security, skills and training, and prescription medicines.

According to a federal Department of Health spokeswoman, there are 125,798 patients in Flynn, 54,381 who are concessional.

This is 43 per cent, compared to the national average of 40 per cent.

“Concessional patients usually only pay $6.80 per script, and receive their scripts for free once they reach the PBS Safety Net of $326.40 per calendar year,” the spokeswoman said.

“This means that on average, patients in these electorates are likely to pay less for their prescriptions.”

The spokeswoman said Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the PBS Safety Net thresholds would be lowered by 12 scripts for concession cardholders and the equivalent of two full-priced scripts for general patients.

“Under the change, it has taken people less time to reach their PBS Safety Net thresholds, saving them up to around $80 per year in out-of-pocket costs,” she said.

By law, the patient co-payment is indexed on January 1 each year in line with the Consumer Price Index.

According to the Department, non-concession holders can pay up to $42.50 and for concessions, up to $6.80.

The PBS Safety Net threshold for concessions is $326.40 and non-concessions $1542.10 and if these are exceeded in a calendar year, the concessional patients are entitled to apply for free PBS medicines for the rest of the year and the general patients can get them at concessional prices.