WITH the Federal Government reducing the co-payment on 01 Jan, more than 3.2m scripts are cheaper, with four out of five of those cheaper scripts receiving the full $12.50 discount, a Government statement said.
The Federal Health Minister Mark Butler stressed that "over 3.2m prescriptions were cheaper in the first two months of this year and thanks to our policy, patients have saved more than $36m".
Pharmacist Jane Mitchell said: "We know that cost is a major factor in people delaying or deciding not to buy prescribed medicines.
"Since the general co-payment was reduced in Jan, we've seen many customers surprised at the lower cost of their PBS medicines and it makes a big difference.
"It's important that more people know about the potential savings and that the PBS Safety Net can mean further discounted prices if a person or a family needs to buy a lot of medicines."
A person on one medication a month may save up to $150 per year, or a family taking two or three medications may save $300-$450 a year.
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