Seniors welcome prescription changes

• Published date: 25 May 2023
• Publication title: Southland Express

Grey Power Federation president Jan Pentecost said the organisation had lobbied for a long time to have prescription co-payments scrapped

In last Thursday’s Budget, the Government announced the $5 co-payment for prescription medicines would be removed from July this year.

But Mrs Pentecost said there was not enough in the Budget to help seniors.

‘‘This Budget appears to have forgotten or chosen to exclude some of the most vulnerable in our society — those of our older people living in poverty.’’

A United Nations assessment of older people had said the basic New Zealand pension was very close to the poverty threshold with 60% of singles and 40% of couples with little or not additional income apart from their pension, she said.

Aged Concern manager Janette Turner said any reduction in costs for seniors was always a positive thing.

‘‘Any prescription cost they don’t have to pay is a bonus... especially if they are on a lot of medication.’’

The savings could be the difference between picking up a prescription or not.

‘‘Everybody is struggling at the moment. If the food costs went down it...