Concession card holders will no longer have access to free quick antigen tests starting next month.
Health Minister Mark Butler confirmed on 3AW on Tuesday that the plan would end in late July.
Butler said it was “the right time” to do so.
A health worker shows a positive test for ‘SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen’ just after collecting a sample of a nasal swab for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at the coronavirus testing facility d Unisante, the university center for general medicine and public health, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Monday, November 9, 2020. (Laurent Gillieron / Keystone via AP) (AP)
The program was first introduced in January amid shortages and price spikes and meant that eligible people could receive 10 free RATs every three months.
“The price has dropped dramatically. They were running at an average of $ 25 per test if you could get them in January, so far at about $ 8 per test,” Butler said.
“Pensioners and concession card holders can still get their assignment of up to 10 tests before the end of this month, which should take them over a period of time.”
Butler said some state governments offered free quick tests for people visiting high-risk settings, such as nursing homes and hospitals.
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“There are still free RATs, there are so many RATs in the community right now and state governments are offering them for free.”
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia said ending the scheme would put vulnerable Australians at risk.
“The pandemic is not over and the threat of a serious disease still exists for many vulnerable people in our communities,” said PSA President Dr. Fei Sim.
“Testing remains a vital part of our response to COVID-19.
“While we recognize that our approach to isolating the test trail has changed since the program was launched in January, testing with even mild symptoms remains an expectation for everyone in the community.”
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The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners also warned that the measure would affect many low-income Australians.
“This is especially important for people with high risk factors, such as underlying health conditions, those facing situations where the risk of transmission is high, and patients who cannot be vaccinated,” said the president of the RACGP, Assistant Professor Karen Price.
“Not only can we have health care available to those who can afford it, accessibility for vulnerable low-income groups is vital.”
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Price said that if people could not access RATs, then “the whole healthcare system would suffer even more immense pressure.”
“To access the clinical care pathways for COVID-19 in the community, including recently expanded antiviral treatments, it is necessary to have a positive test,” he said.