Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith for the question. Looking at just one of those contraceptive options, NuvaRing is available now on the PBS, from 1 November, providing a new, affordable option for women. Before the listing of NuvaRing on the PBS, women might have paid more than $270 a year. Now they will pay $31.60 per script or $7.70 if they have a concessional arrangement. This follows the first PBS listings for new oral contraceptive pills in more than 30 years, as Senator Smith said. I think most of us scratch our heads over the fact that new contraceptives weren't listed on the PBS for three decades. We've also listed Yaz, Yasmin and Slinda on the PBS. Again, women were paying around $380 per year if they were using one of those three choices. Now they're paying less than half of that, $126.40 a year, or just $30.80 a year with a concession card.