ALBURY-Wodonga Cancer Foundation chairman Eric Turner has welcomed Labor’s decision to abolish the chemotherapy co-payment if it wins the NSW election this month.
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The announcement to scrap the co-payment for all cancer patients in NSW public hospitals was made by Labor leader Luke Foley at its official campaign launch.
Labor has pledged to provide $6.2 million to ensure chemotherapy is free of charge to all cancer patients.
Mr Turner was instrumental in the establishment of the Albury-Wodonga cancer centre under construction next to the Albury hospital.
It is due to open later this year sparking an increase in cancer sufferers coming to Albury for treatment.
“All sides of government must support the needs of people who are ill, particularly with a life-threatening diagnosis like cancer,” Mr Turner said.
“It is no one’s fault that medication is expensive.
“But at the same time community groups like the Albury-Wodonga Cancer Foundation, Brave Hearts Breast Cancer Support Group, Ovarian Research Group and cancer councils in NSW and Victoria are doing their very best to ease the load of individuals and family units where there is a diagnosis of cancer.”
Patients undergoing chemotherapy in some NSW public hospitals currently pay a one-off co-payment for chemotherapy drugs injected or infused by drip.
Some patients pay up to $180 in co-payments for their initial chemotherapy treatment and can even be charged more if their treatment changes.
The chemotherapy co-payment was introduced by the Coalition government in 2012.
It is not charged in other states because chemotherapy patients are admitted as in-patients and are reimbursed from the federal government.
According to Labor, almost half of NSW public cancer outpatients have household incomes below $30,000 after tax.
Albury Labor candidate Ross Jackson, who attended the campaign launch, said people fighting cancer should not have to deal with an additional financial burden.
“The last thing you need to be worried about after being diagnosed with cancer is having to have further concerns about your financial position,” he said.
“If we can abolish this penny-pinching co-payment and take one burden off the shoulders of cancer patients and their families then let’s do it.”
Health Minister Jillian Skinner said the state government was considering options regarding the removal of co-payments for all public hospital outpatients across many diseases.
