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August 23, 2023
Cancer putea found in prescription free shuffle
Peter Verschaffelt
Posted On August 23, 2023
Download AudioNational Party health spokesperson Shane Reti says trading off prescription fees for cancer drugs is a more effective use of resources.
Labour scrapped the $5 co-payment in the May Budget, but National says it will bring it back for everyone except community service card and Gold Card holders.
Dr Reti says over four years that amounts to a considerable sum over four years.
“What that did then was free up $300 million and what we announced yesterday that we will fund the 13 cancer treatments that Australia funds that we do not that the Cancer Agency says have substantial clinical benefit,” he says.
The treatments cover lung, bowel, kidney, skin, and head and neck cancers.
Health Minister Ayesha Verrall says almost 3 million free scripts have been provided to around 900,000 New Zealanders since the $5 co-payment was removed on July 1, helping families cope with the cost of living and ensuring fewer scripts are left uncollected.
She says the Government’s decision to remove the co-payment means people are less likely to get sick, less likely to live with pain and less likely to need to take time off from work for illness.
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