Women and people who use contraception and experience menopause and perimenopause will benefit from a $573.3 million package to improve health care options.
On Sunday, the federal government announced the package would deliver more health care choices, lower costs and better health care.
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Promises of the package will be rolled out over five years and comes after “extensive consultation with women, healthcare providers, advocacy groups, the work of the National Women’s Health Advisory Council, and the findings of two separate Senate inquiries”.
Some of the measures will be implemented immediately, including the PBS listing of new contraception pills in over 30 years, while others will come into effect should the Labor government be re-elected.
Package inclusions:
- The first PBS listing for new oral contraceptive pills in more than 30 years.
- More choice, lower costs and better access to long-term contraceptives, with larger Medicare payments and more bulk billing for IUDs and birth control implants.
- More Medicare support for women experiencing menopause, including a new Medicare rebate for menopause health assessments.
- The first PBS listing for new menopausal hormone therapies in over 20 years.
- More endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics treating more conditions, opening 11 new clinics.
- Contraceptives and treatment for uncomplicated UTIs directly from pharmacies.
Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said it was “clear” the PBS hadn’t been working for women with the failure to add to medications and therapies.
“It’s about time Australian women had more choice, lower costs and better health care,” he said.
“Today’s announcement is a tribute to all the Australian women who have worked so hard, for so long, to have their voices heard and acknowledged.”
Meanwhiel, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ged Kearney said women’s health had been shadowed by shame and stigma for too long and was a part of a government which said “this is not good enough”.
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