Labor has invested $ 690 million in four years. Reduce the maximum cost of medicines The Union has $ 25. It was consistent with the promiseIt is estimated that Australians will save $ 200 million annually.
But if the existing policy meets the potential, consumers can save more costs.
In 2023, the federal government introduced a 60 -day prescription. This allows consumers to get twice as much pills per script and have little travel (and to a doctor for the script).
The government announced that consumers will do so. get For a single medicine, up to $ 190 per year, for concession card holders, up to $ 46, 30 days to compare with script costs.
But after a hard fight to get this policy Do not meet the appointment.
Difficult policy
To get this change, political courage and government spending were needed.
Data on political donation is pharmaceutical interest Vast bulk Donation of the health sector. We have spent the most pharmacy guild that represents the pharmacy owner. This donation is an attempt to exercise influence behind the stage. If it fails, the guild is not afraid of attacking the government publicly.
The federal government looked at the HISTRIONIC Scare campaign for the 60th prescription. Guild argued that the pharmacy would close due to a decrease in distribution fees. also I insisted The medicines will fall and the drug will be overdose due to plunder.
Lucas Coke/AAP
The government promoted directly through policy compensation Rural Pharmacy with continuous payment value $ 20 million 1 year.
The government also raises the 8th Community Pharmacy Agreement Negotiation to set the amount of pharmacists for pharmacists, drug management and other services. This contract was signed and added last year. $ 3 billion In a new expenditure.
Waiting for a long script for a long time
After that collision and cost Our analysis Data on PBS data shows that the longer script absorption is painful.
About 300 drugs for chronic health have been added to the qualification list. Three steps.
In the first stage of the drug, the 60 -day options were available in late 2023. This included common drugs, such as alendonate for high cholesterol statins, hypertension perine, and osteoporosis.
One year later, in November 2024, only 30%of the qualified first -stage drugs came out of the script on the 60th.
It lacks expectations. Health and senior nursing department prediction The 60-day absorption is completely implemented by reaching 45%in 2023-24, 58%in 2024-25, and 63%in 2026-27.
In all medicines that can be prescribed for 60 days, including those added to the second and third stages. 21% of medicines It was distributed in the 60 -day script.
Even with these low rates, the policy estimates that consumers have saved more than $ 110 million so far. More costs can be reduced as absorptions close to the proportions predicted by the department are increased.
Millions of people are missing. In 2024, there were about 28 million 3,30 days scripts for statins compared to about 5 million 60 -day scripts. If half of these patients had a 60 -day script, they would have saved $ 27 million annually.
If half of all eligible medicines have been distributed for 60 days, the patient is estimated to have saved an additional $ 330 million annually. This is more than $ 200 million in savings that are expected to promise $ 25.
While the government spends money on $ 25 pharmaceutical policies, it saves money from the 60 -day script by paying a smaller number of distribution to pharmacists.
We estimate that the government has already saved $ 141 million in 60 -day prescriptions. If absorption increases to 50%, you can save $ 297 million annually.
Then why aren’t more GPs writing longer scripts?
Despite the efforts to undermine the reform of the pharmacy guild, low absorption relates to a doctor rather than a pharmacist. The GP that creates a script determines the period, not a pharmacist.
The risk of the patient is not a problem. 60 days prescription is not right for all patients Experts chose eligible drugs Prescriptions for 60 days are usually appropriate and safe.
The 60 -day prescription rate of other medicines has some changes, but overall low. This suggests that the problem is that GP is not much more careful as some drugs than other drugs.
Stephen Barnes/SHUTTERSTOCK
The culprit is probably inertia. GP Practice Software generates a default prescription when the patient has a drug before. If most people still have a 30 -day prescription, they are the default of most repetitive scripts. And many patients may not know that they can’t use the new 60 -day options.
It’s time to get the result
Since the cost of living and health system is not far from the headline, progress for 60 days should be prioritized.
The benefits of patients and government budgets are clear. But don’t overlook the advantages of securing time for busy clinicians. The longer scripts reduce the GP time and the time to fill the pharmacist.
As Australia grows older, the necessity of GP and pharmacist nursing increases, and in many areas, the primary care shortages are serious.
It is precious every 2 seconds of GP time to help you manage the condition of diagnosis, treatment and patients.
There are also good evidence that pharmacists can provide cost -effective drug reviews, chronic diseases management advice and other services. Changing time from sleeve to service is a good way to press on a health system.
So what can you do?
Fortunately, longer scripts have an easy shortcut.
GP software providers must prescribe the default of the relevant medicines for 60 days.
Royal Australia College of General Practitioners, a specialized institution of GPS, should continue to recommend that the GPS creates a longer script.
The primary health network, which is a local agency in charge of improving the primary care, should inform the GPS how it is compared with colleagues, and NUDGE should be provided to the GPS at a low ratio of 60 days.
Finally, the federal government and consumer groups need to run a campaign to inform the patient about their choices.
The longer script is a triple victory. There is more time for the patient’s drug saving, the government’s budget saving, GPS and pharmacists. Since some reforms rarely suppress all boxes, it is important to go from good policies to standard practice.
