National Health Amendment (General Co-payment) 2022

# National Health Amendment (General Co-payment) 2022 ## What it does This law increases the co-payment you pay for prescription medicines from $28.60 to $30.00. However, it also creates a new category called "eligible for increased discounting" that allows pharmacists and doctors to charge *less* than $30.00 for certain prescriptions if they choose to. ## Why it matters Most Australians will pay slightly more for their medications. But the bill tries to balance this by letting healthcare providers offer bigger discounts on some prescriptions, potentially helping people who need it most—though whether they actually get those discounts depends on individual pharmacy or doctor decisions. ## Key details - **The $30 co-payment kicks in from 1 January 2023** and applies to all regular prescriptions unless they qualify for the increased discounting option - **The $30 amount will adjust automatically each year** to keep pace with inflation, so it's not fixed forever - **What "eligible for increased discounting" actually means** isn't fully spelled out in this excerpt—the bill references section 87AA but cuts off before explaining which medicines or patients qualify

🔒 Voting closed — this bill has been decided by parliament