Prescription Co-payments Still Tax Illness: How Is That Fair?
“Patients struggling to afford to pay rent or grocery bills will continue to struggle to pay for their life saving prescriptions despite the decrease in the prescription co-payment announced yesterday by the Health Minister, Mark Butler”, said Dr Tim Woodruff, vice president of the Doctors Reform Society.
“Any decrease in the co-payment is welcome said Dr Woodruff, “but a compulsory Government imposed co-payment is simply a tax on illness, a tax on those in our society who are unlucky enough to need lifesaving drugs.”
Whilst scoring political points is necessary for all politicians, what about simply abandoning co-payments for prescription drugs, just like New Zealand did in 2023and just like Scotland and Wales did in 2011.
Time to stop taxing illness. Co-payments stop patients using drugs. These drugs are approved by the PBS for subsidy because they save lives and reduce suffering. Co-payments therefore fail to save lives and reduce suffering.
Dr Tim Woodruff
Vice President
Ph 0401042619
