No Australian should have to choose between putting food on the table and taking essential medication—but for many, this difficult choice is becoming increasingly common. As the cost of living continues to rise, regular news reports show that higher housing costs, grocery prices, and wages that aren’t keeping up are making it harder for people to afford necessities, including their essential medicines.
In the past three years alone, 3.75 million Australians (21% of the population) have struggled to afford their prescribed medication. Skipping medication isn’t just a financial decision—it can lead to worsening health, increased hospital visits, and long-term effects on quality of life.
These tough decisions are happening every day. Parents may forgo their own medications to cover school expenses. Seniors might stretch prescriptions to make ends meet. Across the country, people are making sacrifices that could affect their health and well-being.
Many Australians don’t realise that pharmacies have no control over the price of PBS medicines—the federal government sets these costs. The PBS co-payment is the fixed amount patients must pay for subsidised medicines, and it is the government that decides whether this cost increases or decreases.
Those affected most when medicines are difficult to afford include:
- People with chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and asthma.
- Parents and carers managing medication needs for their children.
- Women, young people, and those in lower-income communities.
- Australians who do not qualify for concession benefits.
Skipping medication can have lasting effects, and can lead to more serious, yet preventable, health conditions. For working Australians, poor health can mean more sick days, lost income, and added financial stress.
Valentine Altoft, whose pharmacy bill ranges from $180 to $240 each month, is one of many patients struggling to afford their medicines.
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Numerous patients have shared similar stories on Affordable Medicines Now.
Katrina’s family has been directly affected by high medicine costs. She shares: “My mum works full time as an AIN and took on 2 extra kids when my sister passed. One of which requires medications that cost over a thousand a month and she gets nothing off Centrelink because they claim she earns too much.”
For many, these financial struggles force impossible choices. Another patient named Kylie shared:
When the government lowered the PBS co-payment in 2022, the government’s own data shows that Australian patients saved over $346 million, compared with the $30 million saved from 60-day dispensing. With cost-of-living pressures causing endless grief for Australian patients, it’s time for the government to go further to provide relief.
Reducing medicine costs would directly benefit the 12 million Australians who require multiple prescriptions each year. It would allow people with chronic illnesses to better manage their conditions, helping to prevent hospital admissions and reducing pressure on our already stretched healthcare system.
Join us in calling on the government to further reduce the prescription co-payment and ensure all Australians have access to the medicines they need without adding inflationary pressure. If you or someone you know has struggled to afford medicines, sharing that story is the best way to affect change. Recording a short video is a powerful way to spread awareness, incite action and generate important conversation that drives change. To get involved, you can:
- Visit affordablemedicinesnow.com.au and share your experiences
- Record a short video story and share it with media@guild.org.au
- Are you a confident speaker who wants to make a differnce? Volunteer to speak with the media to share your story in the news and online.
Every story matters. Share yours, and together we can ensure that no Australian has to choose between their health and making ends meet.
