WholeLife Pharmacy backs $25 PBS maximum co-payment pledge

A Cairns pharmacist says 20 million Australians will benefit from reduced co-payments on PBS-listed medications as his customers chose between health and food costs.

File photo. Both major parties have pledged to reduce the maximum co-payment for PBS medications to $25. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

A Cairns pharmacist says 20 million Australians will benefit from reduced co-payments on PBS-listed medications, after a bipartisan federal pledge that will save the electorate of Leichhardt about $1m.

Labor candidate for Leichhardt Matt Smith and Queensland senator Nita Green spoke of the federal government’s “cheaper medicines” promise alongside Jason Christopher of Barr St WholeLife Pharmacy on Friday.

The current maximum patient co-payment for PBS-listed medications is $31.60, with Labor pledging to reduce that to $25, if re-elected, in what’s expected to cost taxpayers $689m.

The LNP coalition quickly pledged to match the $25 co-payment policy, meaning whoever wins the next federal election, the cost of medications on the PBS is coming down.

The Labor government has committed to making pharmacy medicines cheaper to patients on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme if they win government at the upcoming election. Labor candidate for Leichhardt Matt Smith and Queensland senator Nita Green speak with WholeLife Pharmacy and Healthfoods Barr Street managing director Jason Christopher about the proposed scheme and the benefit to customers. Picture: Brendan Radke

“The reality is if a person comes into the pharmacy and asks for the cost associated with a puffer or with their heart medicine, or with a women’s health associated medicine – when you look at the price point, sometimes they’re forced to make a decision – do I put that towards my next meal, do I put that towards school fees,” Mr Christopher said.

“The more we can reduce the cost burden in relation to life prospects, we should be supporting that.”

Originally published as WholeLife Pharmacy backs $25 PBS maximum co-payment pledge