Seems like the tl;dr is that profits of pharmacies is the highest priority.
Under the changes to take effect from 1 September, about 6 million Australians will be able to collect two-for-one scripts for 320 common medicines, leading to savings of up to $180 a year for each medicine.
The move will save patients more than $1.6bn over the next four years, but is estimated to cost pharmacies $1.2bn due to less frequent dispensing fees.
The Pharmacy Guild has lobbied intensely against the policy, seeking compensation from the government and warning of staff cuts and fee increases for services such as packing Webster packs for elderly patients.
In in-store campaign material, pharmacists have claimed the policy has contributed to medicine shortages and urged patients to blame the prime minister, Anthony Albanese.
I've actually been able to do this occasionally in the past. I tend to be very drug-tolerant (and it sucks) and for a couple of my meds my GP called up medicare and the prescription was modified so I could do this.
I wonder if this is a simplification of that process?
yeah, my doctor has to regularly call up (medicare/the PBS/someone) to have my script generated "on authority" so that I can receive x amount of boxes of something at once (as my dose for that medication falls between two different mg levels of what is produced and boxed).
if this didn't happen, i would have to get two seperate scripts for different strengths of the same medication and be questioned on it every month, or would have to get one box of the lower strength medication, use the whole box and return to the pharmacy every week (and therefore got to the doctors for new repeats every 6 weeks instead of months).
now the second situation might seem unrealistic on the face of it, but imagine if that medication was a pain medication - maybe you're seeing a new-ish doctor and they're weary of prescribing it, or refuse to have it issued on authority to expand your script for whatever reason. it'd be a fucking nightmare
That's what it was, yeah it was "on authority"! It would suck because otherwise I'd have to get the prescriptions filled out every 2 weeks which was a PITA. (even monthly is a PITA...)