Women who pay a script fee for injectable or infusible chemotherapy drugs should now find them a little cheaper.
The Australian Government has revised the way that chemotherapy drugs administered by injection or IV infusion are dispensed. From 1 December 2011, patients will only pay the script fee the first time a chemotherapy prescription is filled. There will be no script fee charged for any repeats on the script. In other words, if your doctor writes you a prescription with two repeats, you will only pay the script fee the first time you have the script filled. You will not pay to have the script filled for the next two treatments.
Script fees, also known as the PBS co-payment, are currently $34.20 per script, or $5.60 if you qualify for a concession. For women receiving chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, these fees can add up, especially if you have several different chemotherapy drugs at each treatment session. This change will help to reduce the cost of treatment for some women.
It is important to note that the new rules apply only to chemotherapy drugs administered by injection or intravenous (IV) infusion - they don't apply to chemotherapy drugs which are supplied as pills and taken orally (e.g. Xeloda).
Please note also that if your doctor changes your chemotherapy dose or type, you will receive a new prescription and will have to pay the script fee the first time that script is filled. Any repeats will then be dispensed free of charge.
Herceptin
Changes have also been made for women treated with Herceptin for early breast cancer. If you are currently on Herceptin and use more than one vial per treatment session, you may previously have paid two script fees each time. Under the new arrangements, women using more than one vial pay only one script fee. They will also only pay the first time a script is filled - there will be no charge for any repeats on the script.
BCNA congratulates and thanks the Government on implementing these changes.
