Doubling of cheaper medicines a further win for patients
The AMA welcomes the second stage of 60-day dispensing, which began this month. The second stage is bringing down the costs of more medicine for millions of patients, while saving them and the health system time and money.
Doctors are now able to write 60-day prescriptions for close to 100 additional medicines for health conditions like diabetes, epilepsy, breast cancer and menopause.
Nearly 200 Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines are now available for a 60-day prescription for many stable ongoing health conditions.
The Department of Health and Aged Care provides a 60-day prescriptions information kit for providers.
The AMA strongly advocated for the reforms, which has resulted in Australians without a concession card saving up to $189 per medicine, per year and pensioners and concession cardholders saving up to $46.20 per medicine, per year.
A further 100 medicines will be introduced by 1 September 2024.
