CANBERRA, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The Australian Government has pledged to spend 308 million Australian dollars (216 million U.S. dollars) to further subsidize medicines if re-elected for a third term on May 18.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Health Minister Greg Hunt announced the proposed overhaul of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) on Thursday morning hours before Hunt was set to debate his opposition counterpart Catherine King for the first time.
According to The Australian, under the government's proposed changes to the PBS, the threshold to receive free or further discounted medication will be lowered by 12 prescriptions for pensioners and the equivalent of two prescriptions for everyone else.
It is the major health announcement made by the Liberal-National party coalition (LNP) during the campaign and would represent the first time the threshold has been lowered since 1986.
"Families who require multiple medicines per month and pensioners with multiple chronic conditions will get the most benefit," Morrison told reporters in Tasmania.
"This change will save patients up to 80 Australian dollars (56 U.S. dollars) per year but more importantly, it means over one million Australians will be able to access free medicine even quicker," Morrison said.
"Our strong economic management means we are providing Australian patients with access to lifesaving and life-changing medicines quicker than ever before," Morrison said.
In a move to continue the party's focus on investing in healthcare, the Opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP) has already promised to match the funding if it wins the election.
"A Bill Shorten Labor government will deliver faster access to cheaper medicines by adopting changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme," Catherine King said.
