Katie Allen (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to support the National Health Amendment (Safety Net Thresholds) Bill 2019 to lower the safety net threshold. I congratulate the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, and I'm proud the Morrison government is delivering on yet another election commitment that will make a real difference to the lives of Australians and their families, in particular those living with chronic conditions like heart disease, asthma, arthritis and diabetes. These illnesses often mean patients are taking continual medication, sometimes dozens of pills a day for the rest of their lives. I know; I have many family members, and I'm sure many members of this House do too. But, unfortunately, compounding the problem, many require treatment for multiple conditions at the same time, and that results in the requirement for long-term medication. Understandably, these long-term illnesses can have a devastating financial effect on individuals and families, not just because of the cost of the medication itself but often because a person cannot work as a result of their illness. That's why I'm proud to support this bill today. The bill amends the National Health Act to implement our election commitment to lower the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, or PBS, safety net threshold amount by 12 scripts for concessional patients and two scripts for general patients.

So why is this bill important? This amendment aims to help those who are the most vulnerable in the health system. These patients are often the sickest and require the most doctor's appointments. They are also the most at risk from financial pressures. I am proud that this amendment will help ease the burden on the most vulnerable patients in our health system. Currently 91 per cent of PBS scripts each year are for concession card holders, which shows just how important this amendment is and that we are supporting those who truly need it. By reducing the safety net threshold, pensioners and families will qualify to access free or further discounted medication much sooner. This will directly benefit around 1.6 million concessional patients—that's 1.6 million Australians—and a further 129,000 general patients who reach their PBS safety net each year. By allowing them to reach the PBS safety net sooner, patient out-of-pocket costs will be reduced, on average, by a further $80 each year.

This amendment is certainly not the only thing we are doing in the area of health. Our healthcare system is one of the best in the world, and that excellence remains a top priority for our government. There is much to be proud of. Our public health system provides care for everyone who needs it, and our private healthcare system provides choice for the consumer. Our healthcare system is unique in the world. Our strong economy means that we can make extra investments in our hospitals, and we have provided record funding for that purpose. What I'm really proud of is the fact that almost nine out of 10 Australians who visit a GP have no out-of-pocket expenses whatsoever, thanks to record Medicare bulk-billing.

Another very important thing that we should be enormously proud of is that we are continually at the forefront of medical breakthroughs and innovation as a result of stable and consistent funding from the coalition government. Our multibillion dollar investment in the Medical Research Future Fund is the envy of the world. I should know, having been a medical researcher myself and travelled overseas, where people have had a lot of interest in our Medical Research Future Fund.

The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which we're discussing today, is yet another complementary arm that keeps our population healthy, and it's not just for those who can afford it. The PBS already provides Australians with access to medications that would often cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Morrison government has already approved 2,000 new drugs on the PBS—that's 2,000 new drugs—which is something to be very proud of.

I want to highlight two tangible examples within our overall commitment to putting new medicines on the PBS. The first is life-saving drugs for cystic fibrosis and the second is life-saving drugs for lung cancer sufferers. As a paediatrician, I've seen the pressure that young families experience when a parent can no longer work and contribute to the household income, or, worse, if a child is sick and the parent needs to stop working to provide full-time care for their child. As a paediatrician, I've cared for many with cystic fibrosis. Unfortunately, no cures for cystic fibrosis are known and, consequently, several treatment methods are used for patient management.

While infants born with cystic fibrosis 70 years ago were unlikely to survive even past their first year, infants today are likely to live well into adulthood. It's one of the great success stories of medical research, and we are seeing people with cystic fibrosis now surviving into their fifth and sixth decade. Recent advances in the treatment of CF have resulted in patients living a fuller life, less encumbered by their condition, through proactive treatment airway infection and pulmonary rehabilitation. I'm proud of the recent announcement that the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, has made to that end. However, families of patients still experience a massive burden of health costs with regard to disease management and its necessary treatments. This amendment is going to make changes to lower the PBS safety net threshold to ensure chronically ill patients, including those with cystic fibrosis, and their families, who also have other numerous medical burdens to consider in their day-to-day lives, are less encumbered by the financial burden that come to hand with such an illness.

Similarly, lung cancer patients will also reap the benefits of this safety net amendment. My mother died of lung cancer 25 years ago last week. It was hard watching her suffer without any hope. One of the medications that has just been placed on the PBS by the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, would probably have saved my mother's life—she would still be with us today; she would have had the opportunity to meet her grandchildren. At the time, I remember we were so urgently wishing there was a treatment that was available. I remember the excitement when the treatment that is now available for people with metastatic lung cancer became available, but at the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars for patients. I know that cancer sufferers are looking for that lifeline all the time, and to be able to have it listed on the PBS is something that we should all be proud of as Australian taxpayers.

I also remember at the time speaking to other cancer sufferers and their families about the impact that the cancer had on keeping their head above water, especially those who were the primary breadwinners in their family. Fortunately, new medicines are being listed each and every day as they become available on the PBS, and I'm proud to say that there are now cancer treatments that are available that are saving lives and protecting lives as we speak.

Earlier this month I actually hosted a community roundtable in my electoral office in Higgins to raise awareness about the impact of lung cancer. We've heard about the stigma that can be associated with lung cancer. A local patient, Jenny, told us how she often felt lonely and overwhelmed experiencing battling cancer. But she also told us about the stigma associated with lung cancer compared to the diagnosis of colon cancer that she had recently miraculously recovered from. She said the stigma associated with lung cancer was immense, because people assumed that she had smoked when she had not. She also reflected on the financial burden she felt during this challenging time. This amendment bill is a pragmatic approach to ensure that such patients are supported and eased of the financial burdens that exacerbate the challenges felt by facing either a life-threatening condition or a chronic illness. Such reforms are possible due to the government's strong financial management and will benefit countless Australians when they need it most.

More than delivering affordable drugs, the Morrison government is committed to investing in research to deliver better outcomes for patients. The Morrison government's recent $33 million investment into healthcare practices and interventions, focusing on those with or at risk of developing chronic conditions, is one such complementary and pragmatic preventative approach being undertaken by the government. Certainly many illnesses, disabilities and deaths experienced by Australians are caused by chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, some cancers, lung disease, diabetes and, of course, mental health. The funding for this initiative was provided through the Medical Research Future Fund's Rapid Applied Research Translation initiative.

The Medical Research Future Fund, introduced by the coalition government in the 2014-15 budget, is yet another example of a complementary policy introduction. It seeks to help understand vulnerable Australians and to provide groundbreaking preventative medical treatment to those in need. We are so lucky to have a world-class medical research group that is out there, trying to fight diseases and make better outcomes for patients. In conclusion, the Morrison government is delivering on its commitments in health and getting on with the job of supporting Australian families. This amendment bill is a pragmatic step to ensure that patients, in particular those with chronic illness, receive the support that they need without the financial stress. That is why I move to support this bill.

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