Cancer treatment is an expensive affair. The basic medication is not all that the patient requires to live a normal life. A cancer patient has to get through several scans and x-rays. This costs thousands of dollars.
Therefore, it becomes really difficult for patients to take proper treatment. In such a situation getting medical relief is a bonus. Not only does it help the patient but also their families. It reduces the burden of treatment. Moreover, it also allows them to get proper treatment.
Cancer treatment might get cheaper
Bill Shorten recently made a promise of giving monetary relief to cancer patients. He says that his government will bring a $2.3 billion package for cancer patients.
This will be to cut down the out-of-pocket cost of cancer patients. This will be a four-year package.
Shorten also commits extra tax relief to low-income group. This will be of $1 billion and will be above what they get from the budget of Tuesday.
On Thursday, Shorten gave his budget reply. He declares that his Cancer Care plan will be an important investment in Medicare.
In his speech, Shorten refers to his late mother, Ann. He talks about her battle with breast cancer.
Shorten says that Cancer Care plan will help the cancer patients. Because it will help them get millions of scans and consultations which will be free. Moreover, cancer patients will also get medicines cheaply. This will enable them to get better treatments.
Shorten says that paying for the treatment of cancer makes the patient poor. This is because lots of scans, tests, and consultations are also required. This is apart from the basic medication. Moreover, medicines are also expensive.
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The tests, scans, and consultations add up to thousands of dollars. And this amount is not even covered in the Medicare scheme. Thereby making it really difficult to afford such scans and consultations.
Source: Fool
How much is to be invested
Labour Government will be investing $600 million. This will be for eliminating all the out-of-pocket costs.
This will make six million free cancer scans. These will be funded through Medicare.
The scans include MRIs as well. Because of this the out-of-pocket cost will be reduced to zero.
Moreover, investment of $433 million will be made for free consultations. This simply means bulk billing of three million appointments.
Therefore, the cost will be reduced to zero from hundreds of dollars.
Moreover, there is also a guarantee that all the drugs will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. This will also include the drugs recommended by independent experts.