7. LESLEY SOPER (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Has he received any recent reports on subsidised medical prescriptions?
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Minister of Health) Link to this
Yes. Pharmac has recently announced that during 2006-07 close to 33 million prescriptions were subsidised, which is a rise of 11.8 percent on the previous year. The Medical Director of Pharmac, Dr Peter Moodie, says that the biggest factor in this is the Government’s policy on access to primary care, such as cheaper doctors’ visits and reduced co-payments. These policies reduce prescription charges to $3 a shot and have halved general practitioners’ fees.
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE Link to this
Certainly not, were the Opposition’s announced policies of basing general practice fees on market forces to be implemented. Many years of gain in primary health care would be reversed.