Increased patient co-payments and changes in PBS-subsidised prescription medicines dispensed in Western Australia
Date
2009
Authors
Hynd, A.
Roughead, E.
Preen, D.
Glover, J.
Bulsara, M.
Semmens, J.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2009; 33(3):246-252
Statement of Responsibility
Anna Hynd, Elizabeth E. Roughead, David B. Preen, John Glover, Max Bulsara and James Semmens
Conference Name
Abstract
<h4>Objective</h4>To determine whether a 24% increase in patient co-payments in January 2005 and two related co-payment changes for medicines subsidised under the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) were associated with changes in dispensings in Western Australia (WA).<h4>Method</h4>We analysed aggregate monthly prescription counts and defined daily dose per 1,000 population per day (DDD/1,000/day) for atypical antipsychotics, combination asthma medicines, HmgCoA reductase inhibitors (statins) and proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs). Trends pre and post the co-payment increase in January 2005 were compared.<h4>Results</h4>In three of the four categories examined, prescription counts were significantly lower following the increase in co-payment thresholds. Compared with dispensings prior to the co-payment increase, prescriptions fell by 8% for combination asthma medicines (p<0.001), 9% for PPIs (p<0.001) and 5% for statins (p<0.001). Following the rise in co-payments, DDD/1,000/day decreased for all four categories. Decreases in dispensings to concessional beneficiaries were between 4% and 5% larger than for general beneficiary patients.<h4>Conclusions and implications</h4>The reduction in the both prescription counts and DDD/1,000/day observed for combination asthma medicines, PPIs and statins, which all remained above co-payment thresholds, suggests the increase in PBS co-payments has affected utilisation of these subsidised medicines. The results indicate that increases in patient contributions particularly impact on concessional patients' ability to afford prescription medicines.
School/Discipline
Dissertation Note
Provenance
Description
The definitive version may be found at www.wiley.com
Access Status
Rights
Copyright 2009 The Authors