Australia: Free RAT scheme for concession card holders to stop next month
July 12, 2022
Concession card holders will no longer have access to free rapid antigen tests from next month.
Health Minister Mark Butler confirmed on 3AW on Tuesday that the scheme would finish at the end of July.
Butler said it was “about the right time” to do so.
The program was first introduced in January amid shortages and price spikes and meant those eligible could receive 10 free RATs every three months.
“The price has come down dramatically. They were running on average at $25 per test if you could get them in January, to now down to about $8 a test,” Butler said.
“Pensioners and concession card holders can still get their allocation of up to 10 tests before the end of this month, which should carry them through for a period of time.”
Butler said some state governments provided free rapid tests for people visiting high-risk settings such as aged care facilities and hospitals.
“There are still free RATs, there are so many RATs in the community right now, and state governments are providing 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 serious illness is still there for many vulnerable people in our communities,” PSA president Dr Fei Sim said.
“Testing remains a vital part of our COVID-19 response.
“While recognising that our approach to test-trace-isolate has changed since the program was launched in January, testing with even mild symptoms remains an expectation of everyone in the community.”
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners also warned the move would affect many low-income Australians.
“This is particularly 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 can’t be vaccinated,” RACGP president Adjunct Professor Karen Price said.
“We can’t just have healthcare available to those who can afford it, accessibility for vulnerable groups on low incomes is vital.”
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Price said if people couldn’t access RATs, then the “entire health system would come under even more immense pressure”.
“In order to access pathways of clinical care for COVID-19 in the community, including recently expanded antiviral treatments, it is necessary to have a positive test,” she said.
9NEWS
