Like Medicare, the PBS urgently needs overhauling – for all our sakes

‘Improving access to doctors and specialists is not much good if Australians can’t receive or afford the treatments their doctors want to prescribe.’ Photograph: eye35.pix/Alamy

The new year has brought with it an increased focus on Medicare reform to ensure it remains fit for purpose. This means being able to deliver affordable care in an environment of significant change to the heath needs of Australians.

Medicare is one of the two foundational pillars of the federal government’s role in the public health system but there has been far less discussion about the other – the pharmaceutical benefits scheme.