Leading healthcare provider ProCare has today welcomed the removal of the $5 prescription co‑payment, as announced in today’s Budget.

Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at ProCare says: “Scrapping the $5 prescription fee is something that we have called for from the Health Minister, so we are delighted that our calls have been heeded. Additionally, we are pleased for our community pharmacy colleagues, who have also been calling for this for some time.

“There is evidence showing that the $5 prescription fee acts as a barrier for many whānau across Aotearoa and results in them not taking their medication, thereby ending up even more unwell and requiring expensive hospital-based care.

“Today’s announcement will save the government money and shift the dial significantly from an equity perspective,” she continues.

Dr Allan Moffit, Clinical Director at ProCare says: “The recent Otago University research highlighted that for every 100 people who received free prescriptions, 33 were admitted to hospital and stayed for 208 days. However, for every 100 people who paid the $5 charge, 41 were admitted to hospital and stayed for 326 days. Removing the charge had a substantial effect on the odds of being hospitalised, reducing the number of admissions for mental health problems, the number of admissions for COPD, and the length of stay for COPD admissions.

“Today’s announcement is to be warmly welcomed,” he concludes.