Filipino News 169 - Eleksyon 2023

04 ISSUE 169 ELEKSYON | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.migrantnews.nz | Facebook: Migrant News
MIGRANT NEWS - www.migrantnews.nz : New Zealand’s first Migrant community newspaper. Published since 1991. Print. Online. Social Media. FB: Migrant News
By Ricky Matthew
AUCKLAND - In a
move aimed at improving
accessibility of healthcare
and medication, the government
has axed the $5
charge for prescriptions
with effect from 1 July
2023.
This decision was hailed
by various sectors as a positive
step, particularly for
low-income families, the
elderly and new migrants -
who often face financial
constraints when it comes
to obtaining essential medication.
“An estimated three million
people will no longer
have to worry about the
cost of collecting their
medication’” said Health
minister Ayesha Verrall.
“Removing the $5
charge will make it easier
and cheaper for New
Zealanders to access the
medicines they need and
have a meaningful impact
for many households, particularly
those who have
multiple prescriptions to
fill on a regular basis.
This will benefit a huge
range of people, including
almost 770,000 New
Zealanders over the age of
65 who received prescription
medicines in the community
last year.
“The $5 charge can be a
barrier to some New
Zealanders getting the
medicines they need and
this is especially the case at
“The decision to ditch the
$5 prescription fee was a
no brainer,” say ministers.
Health minister Ayesha Verrall.
Photo supplied.
BUDGET
2023
a time when people are facing
increasing pressures on
household budgets.
“As a doctor, there were
times when my patients did
not collect their medication
and in fact we know that
more than 135,000 adults
did not collect their prescriptions
because of the
cost in 2021-22. This is particularly
the case for lowincome
families, Maori,
Pasifika peoples and disabled
New
Zealanders.
“Free access
to medicine will
also relieve pressure
on the
health system.
Removing the
copayment
charge will help
reduce the
demand on hospitals
and other
health services.”
The removal
of the prescription
charge was
one of the initiatives
in the Budget that
government leaders
explained at a Hui with
migrant leaders in 3 Kings
recently.
Michael Wood, the former
Minister of Immigration,
acknowledged the
financial burden that prescription
costs impose on
households, especially
those with young children
who are more prone to illnesses.
He emphasized that preventing
illnesses from
worsening is not only
morally right, but also
financially sensible, since
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Michael Wood, the former
Minister of Immigration
untreated conditions often
result in increased healthcare
costs down the line.
Priyanca Radhakrishnan,
the Minister for
Diversity, Inclusion and
Ethnic Communities,
emphasized the profound
impact that the $5 prescription
charge removal
will have on public health.
By making medications
more affordable and accessible,
Radhakrishnan
argued that individuals,
families and the overall
health system will all benefit.
"The more available and
the more accessible you
make medication, the less
likely it is that people are
going to come back even
more sick from what they
had." She pointed out that
inaccessibility of medicine
“then leads to much more
expensive hospital stays
and severe illness for people”.
The National Party, on
the other hand, did not
support this policy being
applied universally. National
Leader Chris Luxon
preferred that
the support be
Priyanca Radhakrishnan,
the Minister for Diversity,
Inclusion and Ethnic
Communities
targeted to people with the
community services card,
the elderly and those who
desperately need it.
One commenter mentioned
in a tweet: “If
you've never had to move
57 cents from one account
to another account to be
able to afford your medication,
then you really
shouldn't have an opinion
on this.”
An Asian senior, Kamal
Prasad Shrestha, President
of the Nepalese Cultural
Centre NZ Inc., told
Migrant News: “For the
older people, this will help.
Even in my case now that
I'm 74. Even though it is a
small amount we can use it
for some of our expenses.”
Meanwhile, the Pharmacy
Guild of New
Zealand (the
Guild) welcomed
the
governm
e n t ' s
removal of
the $5 prescription
charge in the Budget.
Guild Chief Executive,
Andrew Gaudin, said:
“Removing the prescription
charge is an investment
in New Zealanders’
health and the wider
health system. It means
that more New Zealanders
will get the medicines they
need to help keep them out
of hospital. This means
that there will be less pressure
on the health system
and will result in savings
for taxpayers.
“This cost-of-living
measure will make a huge
difference to some in our
community who cannot
afford the $5 charge for
each of their prescription
medicines and therefore
Kamal Prasad Shrestha
Community Leader
must make difficult choices
when they are sick.”
Guild President, Des
Bailey, said. “We have
been strongly advocating
for this change for several
years, because we know
what a difference this will
make to the health of New
Zealanders and the wider
health system. We are
pleased to see this hard
work result in positive
change.”