Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health. Exactly a year ago today the Minister for Health promised that on 1 March 2019 the flash glucose monitor would be subsidised under the National Diabetes Services Scheme. It still hasn't happened. Can the minister explain to Australia's 120,000 type 1 diabetics why not?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm delighted to respond to the member for McMahon, because, as is frequently the case, his supposition is false. We made the commitment that we would deliver flash glucose monitoring when the company met the terms and conditions of the available program. In particular, let me read from the Department of Health:

The Government also announced its intention to include the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system on the list of products subsidised under the scheme, subject to price negotiations with the product sponsor. Negotiations with the product sponsor are ongoing and further information will be provided once negotiations are complete.

The department also issued this statement:

Flash glucose monitoring and sensors to be subsidised through the NDSS

But, very interestingly, what we have done is what the previous government never did—what Labor never did. We have provided continuous glucose monitoring. Seven products, at an expected price of approximately $300 million, are now available. And, significantly, as part of that, that means that for children and youths under 21 years of age we have continuous glucose monitoring available. We have also made sure that this program is available for pregnant mothers, and we have also made sure that people over the age of 21 who are on concession cards have access to that program.

And, at the same time, we were absolutely clear in setting out the terms and conditions. And the reason we do that is that we have advice from the medical experts that those are the terms and conditions. One of the things that has been the hallmark of this government is we have taken the advice of the medical experts. They have set out those terms, and we set out in writing those elements as well. But when Labor were in power in 2011, they ignored the advice of the medical experts and they stopped listing new medicines. So, we not only listened to the medical experts—

Mr Bowen interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McMahon.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

we incorporated them in statements from the NDSS and in the statements from the department.

Mr Bowen interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McMahon—

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But, whereas we have listed—

Mr Bowen interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McMahon will leave under 94(a).

The member for McMahon then left the chamber.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will continue to list all of those medicines that the medical experts recommend. But they stopped listing medicines for schizophrenia, medicines for endometriosis, medicines for IVF and medicines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.