The latest from Better Access Australia
Disability Services News
Election 2022: Six Health and Disability Services Scheme Reforms
27 April 2022
Better Access Australia has written to all parties and independent candidates seeking commitments to six reforms and actions of our health and disability services schemes.
As a not for profit focused on system level reform, we are focused on the gaps in access and gaps in affordability of our system and delivering reforms that help patients, consumers, government and industry.
1. #MindtheGap in Newborn Screening
with a nationally funded newborn screening program for 80 rare diseases
2. #MindtheGap in keeping healthcare affordable for patients
with a mid-tier PBS co-pay of $20 and freeze indexation increases for five years
3. #MindtheGap in time to health technology access
with a #100day from TGA registration to subsidised system access KPI
4. #MindtheGap in the affordability of private healthcare
with a review that addresses consumer needs and out of pocket costs
5. #MindtheGap in government mandated discrimination
by ensuring all PBS medicines are protected by co-pays and safety net
6. #MindtheGap in access between health, NDIS and employment support
by improving assessment processes and equality of access
Read the quick link (the two-pager) to our six asks, and if you want more detail on why these reforms are needed and how they can delivered click here.
We will publish a ready reckoner of the responses and commitments of all parties and individuals in response to our requests to keep our work transparent and the community informed.
Newborn screening is already a federal election commitment from the Labor party, and PBS Co-payment reforms have been committed to by the Coalition, with Labor announcing there will be policy reforms in this area too.
Read our letter to Mr Adam Bandt and Senator Steele-John of the Australia Greens here.
Read our letter to the Independents here.
Read our letter to The Hon Mark Butler, Shadow Minister for Health and Aging here.
A BUDGET THAT PRIORITISES EQUALITY AND AFFORDABILITY OF ACCESS TO OUR HEALTH SYSTEM CAN DELIVER BETTER ACCESS, AUSTRALIA
March 27, 2022
As the federal budget looms, the need for a focus on improving equality of access to health services in Australia remains critical. Individual treatment subsidies are always welcomed but the systemic shortcomings must be addressed now if we are to end the increasing tension of a system of those who have access and those who do not.
Budget 2022-23 is a chance to redefine and future-proof the system, not merely work around. Action is needed this Budget because right now:
PBS co-payments are tracking towards $50 per script outpacing the cost of living;
Australia’s babies are some of the least protected in the world for early screening and diagnosis of rare diseases;
Patients managing opioid addiction are being financially discriminated against by the government despite the protections of the law;
Average wait times for access to subsidised medicines are over 820 days and growing; and
Patients are being forced to accept huge out of pocket costs in their access to specialists for primary healthcare, none of which is covered by their private health insurance.
This week’s budget needs to:
Introduce a mid-tier co-payment for the PBS based on Family Tax Benefit A, recognising the challenges for individuals, couples and families earning less than $136,000 and freezing indexation growth for 5 years
Introduce an expanded and nationally consistent newborn bloodspot screening program following a once-off catch up review, with the new program rolled out by 1 July 2023 based on the funding model for the National Immunisation Program
End the government’s requirement for pharmacies to charge out of pocket fees for access to medicines for managing opioid addiction and bring their distribution and subsidy into line with all other PBS medicines by 1 July 2022
Establish a #100days from medicine and device registration to subsidy target in Australia to improve access to all therapeutics irrespective of indication or patient population with program administration and contracting based on this new standard
Reduce out of pocket costs for patients obliged to see specialists on an annual basis to maintain access to ongoing PBS medicines used in the primary care setting
Conduct a consumer-need analysis of private health in Australia recognising the interaction between the public and private health systems and the increasing use of private healthcare outside the hospital setting with no insurance coverage.
Full details in press release here.
BETTER ACCESS AUSTRALIA’S PRE-BUDGET SUBMISSION
CALLING FOR GOVERNMENT TO #MINDTHEGAP FOR AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY
January 31, 2022
Calling for six areas to #MindTheGap, our submission to the government asks for:
1) A national Newborn Bloodspot Screening program to match international best practice of up to 80 diseases.
2) End the government-mandated discrimination by making all medicines that treat opioid dependence, a recognised disability, subject to the PBS co-payment and safety-net provisions as afforded to every other medicine on the PBS.
3) Daily medicine access to be made affordable for families once again by reducing the general PBS co-payment from $42.50 to $20 per script.
4) End the 820-day average wait by making a 100 day policy from TGA approval to subsidised access for medicines and medical devices.
5) End the costs to patients and costs to government of unnecessary annual referrals to specialists for long-term treatment of a chronic disease.
6) Change the emphasis of Private Health Reform to better capture the consumer interest in health coverage expectations rather than an exclusive debate between government and insurers on cost of devices and annual price increases.
These proposals are a combination of targeted reforms for some of the most vulnerable in our community as well as system-wide reforms to benefit the entire population.
Better Access Australia’s 2022-2023 Pre-Budget Submission is available to read here.
BAA’s SUBMISSION TO THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME ACT AND RULES
7 October 2021
Better Access Australia has submitted commentary to the draft Amendment Bill and proposed rule changes in regard to the NDIS.
We welcome positive changes such as the new Participant Service Guarantee and an improved commitment to service and transparency within the NDIS.
Yet, we highlight a need to #MindTheGap in relation to inconsistencies, secondary rules and reviews without participants’ requests.
BAA hold firm in the importance of upholding tenets of co-design in this process:
“The principle of co-design in this process is fundamental and Better Access Australia strongly supports people with disability being centrally involved with this reform process. It is critical to make changes with people with disability, not for them,” Board director Helen Innes states.
It is essential that the NDIS can be navigated by those that it is meant to support. It is imperative to #MindTheGap between legal frameworks, administrative rules and participants’ experiences and needs.
Please read our full submission here.
THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS IN THE DETAIL AND BUDGET 2021-22 IS NO DIFFERENT WITH MANY GAPS REMAINING
11 May 2021
Better Access Australia notes that the 2021-22 Budget makes some significant funding investments in health but continues to fail some of the most vulnerable in the community.
We need to #mindthegap in equality of access to our health system.
The devil is always in the detail.
A copy of the media release can be accessed here.
NATIONAL DISABILITY STRATEGY
31 October 2020
Better Access Australia has provided a submission on proposals for a new National Disability Strategy beyond 2020.
Better Access Australia argues:
“It is time to be ambitious. Its time to leverage the changed work environment brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the accessibility and affordability of technology to rethink the work landscape for people with disabilities and their carers.”
Read Better Access Australia’s submission here.