Subsidising Pharmaceutical benefits scheme medicine co-payments

From the 1st July 2010 the Australian Government will be reducing the co-payments on Pharmaceutical benefits scheme (PBS) medicines to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients living with, or at risk of, chronic disease.

The new initiative aims to increase Indigenous patient's access to PBS medicines and in turn assist in the treatment and prevention of chronic disease among the Indigenous population. The cost of medicines has been identified as a significant barrier to accessing medicines and it is hoped the lower co-payments will enable eligible patients to access treatment more easily.

Contacts

Closing the Gap: Indigenous Chronic Disease Package
Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
GPO Box 9848
Woden ACT 2601
Email: ICDP@health.gov.au

Links

• View information: Subsidising PBS medicine co-payments
• View website: Closing the gap - Indigenous chronic disease