CANBERRA, April 30 — The Australian government has promised to cut the cost of medications if re-elected in May, Xinhua news agency reported.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday announced the Coalition would spend AU$150 million (US$105.9 million) to reduce the out-of-pocket costs of medicines from 2023 if elected on May 21.
Under the plan, the maximum cost of all medications subsidized by the government under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) would be reduced from AU$42.50 Australian dollars (US$30) per prescription to AU$32.50 Australian dollars (US$22.9).
Morrison said the measure would offer immediate cost of living relief to 19 million Australians.
“In the Budget this year, we understood the need to take action to provide relief on the cost of living pressures, and we know those pressures are real,” he told reporters.
“There are many things you can’t control … but you can make the safety net more generous to help people who are on these medications, and you can reduce this non-concessional payment down by AU$10 on every single script.”
According to the Health Department of the Australian government, as of Friday afternoon, the country has recorded more than 42,000 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to more than 5.7 million. The death toll stood at 7,189.
Saturday marked day 20 of the election campaign and three weeks until polling day.
