Private Healthcare Australia today backed the Albanese Government’s plans for 60-day medication prescriptions.
“Minister Butler’s announcement will deliver a much better deal for millions of Australians,” said Dr Rachel David, CEO. “People living with common chronic conditions will not only save money, but save time and stress of having to visit the doctor just to get a prescription and reduce the number of times people have to go out to get the prescription filled. It will reduce the burden of treatment experienced by millions of people, relieve pressure on general practice, and save money for consumers.
“It’s not just common sense, it’s backed by all of the experts who don’t own a pharmacy business. It was first recommended several years ago by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, and has been backed by doctors, consumers, academics and other health professionals.
“One positive that hasn’t yet got a lot of attention is the impact on medication compliance. It’s so easy for people living with health conditions to have a bad week and fail to get their prescription renewed, making things so much worse. This measure means there will be fewer failure points for patients, meaning better medication compliance, fewer complications, and fewer emergency trips to hospital taking up beds unnecessarily.
“I am pleased the Government is delivering a better outcome for consumers, rather than simply trying to balance the various vested interests. I encourage them to take this approach across the health sector to deal with the challenges ahead.”
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Media contact: Miriam Phillips, 0400 362 375