Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's a pleasure to rise today and speak on the National Health Amendment (General Co-payment) Bill 2022. As we see the cost of petrol, food, rent, mortgages and all other basics rise and rise this year, I'm thankful that there will be some relief on the wallet of Australians with the reduction of the PBS medicines co-payment. On 30 April this year, I joined Professor Trent Twomey from the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and local pharmacist Brad from the local TerryWhite Chemmart in Mowbray to announce our election commitment to cut $10 per script for PBS listed medicines, so I of course welcome this legislation by Labor extending on our initial announcement.

It's important to note the bipartisan support of a reduction in co-payment as the most significant cost action in supporting our community to access PBS listed medications since the scheme began over 60 years ago. I do recognise that the Pharmacy Guild has rallied for adjustments to prescription prices for many years. A few days before the coalition's announcement, Professor Twomey spoke about the impact medication costs were having on the average Australian family, saying:

This is especially affecting middle-income households, with over a quarter … of people who aren't entitled to a concession card struggling to pay for their scripts at the point o f sale.

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Some people have been skipping medicines entirely, with 17 per cent saying they have been unable to purchase their medicines.

He also said, if we can't afford the treatment that is prescribed, we're going to add to the pressures on the health system. Whilst welcoming the announcement in northern Tasmania in April, he recognised the difference that this will make to thousands of Australians, saying:

This is a first and very real step towards addressing medicine affordability, helping our patients paycheck to paycheck at the cash register.

The CEO of the Australian Patients Association, Stephen Mason, also welcomed the bipartisan support for a reduction in costs of accessing PBS medication, saying that the issue of affordability of prescription medicines is an ongoing concern for many Australians. He said:

Our research has found that almost 36 per cent of people believe that prescription medication is too expensive and 20 per cent of people say it's outside of their regular budget.

For thousands of northern Tasmanians taking common medications, including for blood pressure, high cholesterol, pain relief, depression, diabetes and more, this cost saving at the counter will make a demonstrable difference to their budget, particularly those who are spending hundreds of dollars a month on necessary medications.

Nobody should be forced to choose between taking life-saving medication and putting food on the table. I've heard firsthand from pharmacists of seeing patients come in and weighing up which medicine they can afford to buy that week or month and, rather than buying all the necessary medications, they're making choices over what they can possibly purchase to get by, including, for example, asthmatics, who are choosing reliever medication as it's cheaper than preventative medication. As parliamentarians, we should look at taking any reasonable steps necessary to prevent this situation, and this legislation is a step in the right direction.

As proud as I am of my island state, we are unfortunately overrepresented in chronic disease for a number of reasons, but due in large part to our ageing population. Compared to mainland Australia, Tasmania has a higher proportion of people over the age of 45 years and a smaller population of younger people than nationally. Tasmania also has the oldest population nationally. In 2016, Tasmania's median age was 42, compared with the national figure of 38—and it is well documented that chronic diseases increase with age.

A Tasmanian health report in 2018 on chronic disease estimated that the proportion of Tasmanians aged 65 and over is expected to grow from around 19.5 per cent in 2016 to 27 per cent by 2056. Unsurprisingly, this will have profound implications for our healthcare system, a number of which are already being experienced, with our number of diabetes, heart disease and strokes amongst the highest nationally. Further, with an ageing population and people living longer, cancers are becoming more prevalent and are now overtaking all other conditions as a leading cause of disease burden. In Tasmania, this translates to a significantly greater healthcare burden for the community than is generally appreciated.

The report also noted that arthritis was the most frequently reported diagnosed chronic illness by Tasmanians aged 60 years, with more than one in two Tasmanians reporting being diagnosed with arthritis. The second most common was cataracts at just over 28 per cent, followed by depression and anxiety at 19.1 per cent. Asthma was reported by 17.1 per cent of that 60-and-over age group, with 13.8 per cent being diagnosed with diabetes. Of course, we know that these health conditions are not exclusive to older Tasmanians, with many younger Tasmanians living with the same conditions and also, of course, paying for those medications. Thankfully, a number of medications to help with these conditions are listed on the PBS, which will now see a reduction from $42.50 per script to $30 per script.

It takes a community of dedicated health professionals to diagnose, treat and manage an individual's health or sometimes many health conditions, and it's important to recognise the role that general practitioners pay in ensuring the best outcomes for their patients. However, with the provision of the PBS run through pharmacies, I wanted to use this opportunity to highlight the work of community pharmacies, particularly in light of World Pharmacists Day this past Sunday, 25 September. This year's theme was 'Pharmacy united in action for a healthier world', publicly recognising the vital role that pharmacists play in caring for patients. From Brad in Mowbray, Rhys in Summerhill, Ivo and Helen in Riverside and Dianne in Ravenswood, to name a few, I know of the dedication and care that local pharmacists, all across northern Tasmania, have for their patients.

It's estimated that there are more than 14 visits to a community pharmacy per year for each man, woman and child in Australia, and the stronger the patient-pharmacist relationship, the better the health outcomes that can be expected. Pharmacists are the custodians of the PBS and play a vital role in the primary health care of all Australians. Community pharmacists are medicine experts, providing professional advice and counselling on medications, including their use and effects, as well as general health care. Their services are highly accessible, and, in the vast majority of cases, their services are offered to consumers without the need to make an appointment. Regardless of where they live, all Australians have the same access to PBS medicines within 72 hours at no financial disadvantage. And, of course, we have seen the role that pharmacies have played as they join general practitioners and community clinics in administering COVID-19 vaccines over the past 12 months, which is also to be applauded.

I have a few more facts on the strength of community pharmacies. We should be proud of our world-class standards. The majority of pharmacies, currently over 90 per cent, are accredited by a quality assurance framework called the Quality Care Pharmacy Program. The Australian community pharmacy workforce is made up of around 60,000 people, including pharmacists, interns, specially trained dispensary technicians and pharmacy assistants. Community pharmacy is a more than 15-billion-dollar health industry, including more than $10 billion in prescription sales per year, and community pharmacies dispense more than 30 million prescriptions annually, with the average community pharmacy dispensing 54,482 prescriptions per year.

The coalition remains committed to ensuring Australians have access to affordable medicines when they need them, and we have a strong record of providing Australians with timely, affordable access to effective medicines, cancer treatments and services. When we were in government, we listed more than 2,800 new and amended medicines on the PBS, representing an average of around 30 listings per month—medications such as Orkambi, which has been found to reduce the need for hospital visits, some daily medications and physiotherapy for cystic fibrosis patients. Prior to being placed on the PBS in 2018, the life-saving drug was cost prohibitive to most patients, costing up to $250,000 a year. With over 100 cystic fibrosis patients in Tasmania, around 40 young Tasmanians, including northern Tasmania's Luke Emery and Hobart's Jack Dyson, are benefiting from this medication and paying a maximum of $39.50 per script.

Earlier this year, former health minister Greg Hunt proudly announced one of the final treatments to be listed under the PBS under his watch: Trikafta, a groundbreaking drug described by the CF community as life changing and life saving. At the cost of almost $21,000, some families were re-mortgaging their homes to access the medication. Once listed on the PBS, and with the implementation of this bill, the payment will come down to just over $30 a month. And I can only imagine the pure relief and joy that the accessibility of this medication is bringing to so many cystic fibrosis patients across the country.

In addition to Trikafta, the 2022-23 federal budget also included the new PBS listing for Trodelvy, for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer, giving around 800 Australians precious time with loved ones and saving them up to $80,000 a treatment. The drug has shown reductions in tumours in 30 per cent of women taking it, giving them up to an extra 12 months to live. The success of the listing on the PBS came after 18 months of campaigning by the Breast Cancer Network Australia, who advocated for the medicine to put metastatic breast cancer on the radar and, according to BCNA head of policy and advocacy, Vicki Durston, to also give patients 'one last roll of the dice'. Ms Durston went on to describe the listing of Trodelvy as a significant milestone, highlighting the fact that triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form. There are limited options for what these patients can receive, and they have very poor clinical outcomes. We can't underestimate the financial relief this will bring to so many patients and their families, but it is the extra time they will gain to spend with those they love which is utterly priceless.

Reducing the PBS medicines co-payment at a time of ever-increasing cost-of-living pressures is a step in the right direction in supporting hardworking Australians. I support this legislation and I look forward to hearing what other steps the federal government will be taking to bring additional cost-of-living measures relief to our communities.

It is important to note that this does not take effect immediately and, along with other measures that the Labor government has been saying will help address the cost of living, it is somewhat down the road. I reiterate that it's important to note that Australians are suffering from financial stress right now. Whilst these measures will go a long way to help, assist and support with the cost of living, they are down the road and we need to turn our mind to the issues Australians are facing right now.

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