this post was submitted on 10 Aug 2023
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Coalition will seek to block Labor plan for cheaper medicine after backlash from pharmacies (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Seems like the tl;dr is that profits of pharmacies is the highest priority.

Under the changes to take effect from 1 September, about 6 million Australians will be able to collect two-for-one scripts for 320 common medicines, leading to savings of up to $180 a year for each medicine.

The move will save patients more than $1.6bn over the next four years, but is estimated to cost pharmacies $1.2bn due to less frequent dispensing fees.

The Pharmacy Guild has lobbied intensely against the policy, seeking compensation from the government and warning of staff cuts and fee increases for services such as packing Webster packs for elderly patients.

In in-store campaign material, pharmacists have claimed the policy has contributed to medicine shortages and urged patients to blame the prime minister, Anthony Albanese.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:

The Coalition has asked the Senate to tear up changes allowing patients to buy two months of medicine for the price of one unless Labor pauses the policy and blunts the impact on pharmacies.

On Wednesday the shadow health minister, Anne Ruston, and Nationals Senate leader, Bridget McKenzie, announced that if the Albanese government did not pause the 60-day dispensing policy they would seek to have it disallowed.

The health minister, Mark Butler, immediately stared down the threat, suggesting the issue should be resolved within 24 hours because patients had already missed out on hundreds of millions in savings.

In in-store campaign material, pharmacists have claimed the policy has contributed to medicine shortages and urged patients to blame the prime minister, Anthony Albanese.

But with the Greens opposed, the Coalition would need to win support from David Pocock, both Jacqui Lambie Network senators and independent Lidia Thorpe to overturn the policy.

“There are legitimate concerns that Labor’s approach to 60-day dispensing could see community pharmacies close down and result in vulnerable Australians paying more for their healthcare,” Ruston said.

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