Changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme which will see Australians able to buy two-months worth of medicine for the price of a single prescription will come as welcome relief to many older Australians, COTA Australia – the peak advocacy organisation for older Australians – says.
COTA Australian Chief Executive Officer, Patricia Sparrow says the announcement made by the Federal Government will help ease the fiscal pressure many older Australians are facing at the moment while also benefiting their health.
“We know that for many Australians, particularly many older Australians, the cost of prescriptions can be a real strain on the budget,” Ms Sparrow said.
“Many older people have to take several different types of medication and this adds up, especially if you are on a fixed income and trying to balance the cost of these essential and necessary items with other rising costs.
“We’ve heard stories of people being forced to go without or delay getting medicines that they need to live a healthy life because of the cost. People have told us they’ve cancelled most of their medical services and only take medications every two or three days instead of daily so their prescriptions last longer.
“One person even told us that they have had to cut back on daily care because they needed to make a choice between buying food for themselves, food for their dog, or having care workers or taking medication every 2 to 3 days instead of daily to make the prescription last for 3 months instead of one.
Ms Sparrow said it’s great to see the Federal Government taking real action to support Australians who need access to prescriptions on a regular basis.
“This is a practical step from the Federal Government that will make a big difference to many older Australians from both a health, wellbeing and financial perspective. The phasing in approach being adopted will ensure that people can gain the full benefits of the change.
“Prescriptions aren’t a luxury item – they’re a necessity. Making our prescriptions cheaper will hopefully ease some of the stress and pressure many people are facing at the moment.”
