From January 1 a prescription on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) will cost Australians no more than $25. The last time PBS medicines cost no more than $25 was 2004 – more than 20 years ago.

This is another key cost of living measure delivered by the Albanese Labor Government And a more than 20 per cent cut in the maximum cost of PBS medicines, which will save Australians over $200 million each year.

Pensioners and concession cardholders will continue to benefit from the freeze to the cost of their PBS medicines, with the cost frozen at its current level of $7.70 until 2030.

December 1st is also the one-month anniversary since Labor expanded the bulk billing incentive to all Australians and boosted payments to GPs that bulk bill every patient.

Previously these incentives were only available to children under 16 and concession card holders., but we’ve changed that to be for every patient.

Currently, 23 clinics in the Bendigo Electorate now 100% bulk bill every patient. Fourteen (64%) of those were mixed billing practices prior to the changes last month.

Patients and families in Bendigo will save hundreds of dollars a year in out-of-pocket costs.

Quotes attributable to the Federal Member for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters MP:

"Having already slashed the cost of medicines – with the largest cut to the cost of medicines in the history of the PBS in 2023 – we’re now going even further."

"The Albanese Labor Government is investigating in primary healthcare for the Bendigo electorate. We're making PBS medicines even cheaper and ensuring all Australians can access a bulk billing GP."

“Bulk billing is the beating heart of Medicare and it’s only a Labor Government that will continue to strengthen our health care system for everyone in Bendigo”