Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients across Queensland will now benefit from a statewide medication co-payment subsidy in all public hospitals, aiming to improve health outcomes and close the gap.
Based on the successful ‘Better Together Medication Access Program (BTMA)’ launched by Metro North Health in 2020, this initiative has already led to a 50% reduction in readmission rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, with minimal cost to the HHS.
Statistics from 2020-2022 reveal a life expectancy gap of 7.4 years for males and 7.0 years for females between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Queenslanders. The new subsidy seeks to bridge this divide and promote better health outcomes.
From 25 January, Queensland Health has fully waived co-payments for medications prescribed to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients by Queensland Health prescribers, both upon discharge and during specialist outpatient care where access to community pharmacies is limited.
Metro North Health will also expand the BTMA program to cover outpatient prescriptions.
