Media Release: Labor's Eye Injection Backflip a Win for Patients

The Coalition welcomes the Albanese Labor Government’s decision to abandon its planned changes that would have left Australians facing thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs for sight-saving eye injections. 

This decision follows sustained pressure from the Coalition on behalf of patients.  

Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care Senator Anne Ruston said the backdown was a win for vulnerable patients who rely on regular eye injections to prevent vision loss.

“This decision is a relief for thousands of Australians who were facing the prospect of paying hundreds of dollars more for every treatment in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis – or risk losing their sight altogether,” Senator Ruston said.

“The Coalition raised serious concerns about these changes from the outset and pursued the issue directly with the Government through correspondence and Senate Estimates.

“At a time when Australians are already struggling through a cost-of-living crisis, it was extraordinary that the Government would even contemplate changes that could force vulnerable patients to pay thousands of dollars out-of-pocket to avoid going blind.

“This would have been yet another blow to older Australians from a government that is leaving them waiting almost a year on average for home care, rationing the support they have been assessed as needing, and forcing thousands to remain stranded in hospital beds because they can’t access aged care.”

Senator Ruston said while the Coalition welcomed the Government’s decision to abandon the proposal, the backflip has left the Government red-faced and exposed its disingenuous approach to health policy.

“Patients should never have been put in this position in the first place, but this is a government that talks big game about Medicare while it oversees the highest out-of-pocket costs on record,” Senator Ruston said.

“This backdown shows the importance of scrutiny and advocacy to ensure Australians can continue accessing essential, life-changing healthcare without the barrier of rising costs.”

ENDS