Govt drops PBS listings for women

For the first time in decades a new kind of menopausal hormone therapy will hit the PBS alongside reimbursement for two oral contraceptive pills as the Federal Government unveiled a half-a-billion-dollar healthcare package for women, just months out from the election.

From 1 March three new menopausal hormone therapies from Besins Healthcare will be listed on the PBS: Estrogel, Prometrium, and Estrogel Pro. According to Besins, more than 100,000 women currently pay around $650 per year for the therapy, which will drop to the monthly copay for eligible patients.

At the weekend the Albanese Government dropped a $573 million package for women's health, perfectly timed to attract voters at the upcoming election. It also included the first PBS listing for new oral contraceptive pills in more than 30 years with Bayer's Yaz and Yasmin joining the PBS.