Picking up your HIV meds has just become easier
The EMA is a new scheme that allows you to have your HIV medications delivered to your home, work, or a pharmacy of your choice.
The EMA is operating in both inner-city, outer metropolitan and regional areas of NSW.
To enrol in the scheme talk to your HIV prescribing doctor.
What is the EMA Scheme?
The Enhanced Medication Access (EMA) Scheme allows people with HIV living in NSW who are eligible to have three months supply of HIV medication dispensed and delivered without the need to go to a hospital pharmacy.
HIV medication will be mailed to your preferred address after payment has been received (by credit or debit card) at the Albion Street Pharmacy. As with the dispensing of all pharmaceuticals, the patient co-payment will need to be paid. In some circumstances, there may be a charge for handling and delivery.
Who can enrol?
There are certain criteria that need to be met before you can enrol:
- You are a Medicare-eligible resident of NSW
- Your prescriber agrees that you are clinically stable on HIV medication and any side effects are mild or well managed
- You are able to pay by credit or debit card for three months supply of medication plus postage
- You have an address the medication can be delivered to (Monday to Friday). This can be your home or work. It can also be one of a number of participating pharmacies that are supporting the scheme and which are open evenings and weekends. Where pick-up is from a community pharmacy, no postage and handling will be charged.
To enrol:
- Your doctor will need to complete the Prescribers Enrolment Form
- You will also need to complete the Patient Enrolment Form
You can fill in the forms beforehand, and discuss your enrolment when you see your doctor. If you are eligible, he will sign the forms. Both forms, together with your prescription, need to be posted or taken to the Albion Street Pharmacy to complete the enrolment process.
Enrolment forms can be downloaded here.
Community Pharmacy Involvement
HIV medication can be mailed to any pharmacy in NSW and no postage and handling will be charged. A number of community pharmacies have already joined the EMA scheme and are listed below:
- Serafims – 389 Bourke Street, Darlinghurst (Taylor Square)
- Priceline – 1 Oxford Street, Surry Hills
- Blake's Pharmacy - 20 Darlinghurst Road, Potts Point
- Bill Warner’s Pharmacy – 376 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst
- Blooms - 251 Marrickville Road, Marrickville
- Neutral Bay Pharmacy - 177 Military Road, Neutral Bay
- Enmore 7 Day Pharmacy - 211 Enmore Road, Enmore
- Priceline - Lismore Square Shopping Centre, Lismore
- Wollongong City Pharmacy - 237 Crown Street, Wollongong
If the pharmacy you want to have medications mailed to is not listed, please discuss with them initially. The Albion Street Centre Pharmacy staff will also discuss the process with them once your enrolment forms have been received.
Discuss your enrolment with your HIV prescribing doctor.
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| EMA Factsheets & Enrolment Forms | 525.9 KB |
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About this article
- The content of this article was checked for accuracy at the time of publication. We endeavour to correct errors in articles on our web site as we become aware of them, but in some cases articles may contain errors.
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This page last updated: 04/17/2012 - 4:27pm
Comments
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DT | 7 April 2012
When I picked up my medications it was great to see that it was cheaper but was told if I wanted THREE months I would have to pay for TWO lots, Maybe the change should have taken that into account and become a maximum of FOUR months. Question for the NSW Ministry of Health. Logical thinking. But great to see some improvements. D & A
Anonymous | 21 March 2012
Not all HIV Doctors will do the paperwork.
Rob Finlayson who works at Taylor Square Private Clinic refuses - isn't this scheme supposed to help people? Is he allowed to say no?
Does anyone know of any HIV Doctors who do participate?
Lance Feeney | 26 April 2012
It's unfortunate that Robert Finlayson has refused. You may want to have another discussion and find out why?
The scheme is designed to make it easier for people to get their HIV medication. Unfortunately doctors can refuse to assist if they choose. Other doctors are supporting the scheme. You may want to check this out with peers.
Regards,
Lance Feeney
Anonymous | 29 April 2012
I have found another Doctor who is more than happy to help me get onto the scheme.
My new doctor will bulk bill and is not always running late - saving me even more time.
Anonymous | 2 February 2012
It's great that some community pharmacies can now dispense HIV medication. There's another initiative that is new too - I get my medication from St Vincents hospital pharmacy, and they now dispense two-months supply of drugs for a single, one-month co-payment. I get three different types of medication, so I paid $105 ($35x3 items), instead of $210 ($35x6 items). I understand this is due to a change in policy from the NSW Ministry of Health. The only downside is that I now need to go into the hospital every two months to pick up my script rather than every three. It'd be great if this could be combined with the EMA Scheme, though it seems St Vncents is not part of the scheme.
Lance Feeney | 3 February 2012
Your post raises a range of interesting anomalies.
Positive Life will be advocating stongly for people to be able to minimise cost and maximise convenience when getting their HIV meds. The EMA scheme is the first step in the process to make things easier, but the scheme is new and much nore needs to be done. We will be advocating for the EMA scheme to support patients and take advantage of the 2 months supply for 1 copayment as outlined in the new NSW Minsitry of Health policy guidlines. We also wish to align patient monitoring/bloods and the writing of new scripts, with this new policy. It will be important to get prescribers, hospital pharmacies and government all working together if people with HIV are to be able to access their medication more easily and at a reduced cost. Positive Life has and will continue to advocate strongly on all of these issues. We are in constant discussions with all of the HIV sector groups/stakeholders and we're hopeful that continuing improvements can be realised.
Anonymous | 3 January 2012
As of 3/1/12 neither my HIV GP nor the Priceline pharmacy know anything about this scheme
Lance Feeney | 9 January 2012
In reply to your post:
The scheme officially started on 1 December 2011 and as with most new schemes, we expect some teething problems.
The Australasian Society of HIV Medicine (ASHM) undertook to inform all HIV prescribers about the scheme in a series of emails and/or correspondence. This process started before Christmas, however your doctor may have been away, not received or read the email/s. Can I suggest that you ask him/her to check the ASHM website for information about the scheme. The forms for enrolment as well as information are located on that website.
In regards to Priceline pharmacy not knowing about the new scheme, I am a little surprised. The retail pharmacies listed above have all agreed to take part in the scheme. However, you first need to enrol via your HIV doctor and nominate a participating pharmacy as a pick-up point. Pharmacists are bound to uphold patient confidentiality, so unless you are registered with the scheme, they may not provide any information over the counter, so as to protect people's privacy in relation to HIV. If you have registered with the scheme and have arranged to collect your meds from a particular pharmacy, speak only with the head pharmacist. They should know about the scheme and if they don't, we would appreciate you letting us know.
I hope this helps, regards Lance
Susan A | 4 January 2012
The Priceline pharmacies that are participating are listed above. Not all Pricelines are in the scheme.
Anonymous | 4 January 2012
I didn't just approach any Priceline pharmacy, I approached Priceline at 1 Oxford St, because you listed them as a participant, but they are ignorant about the scheme.
Susan A | 5 January 2012
Thanks for your feedback. We'll look into it as soon as staff have returned from leave.
Susan A | 22 December 2011
Please note additional pharmacies added to the list above - there are now nine.
Tony Black | 12 December 2011
Well, what a good idea, but what about south as in Wollongong? As usual we dont matter. 6 in Sydney and one in Lismore, so much for that being a help.
Thanks for nothing
Steve | 30 April 2012
Hey Tony, it's not all about you so stop being a whining queen!
You're lucky you live in Woollongong, I live outside of Port Macquarie so how do you think we who live in outer regional areas cope.
This scheme is a great advancement after many years of trying to get this off the ground, it's still in the early stages so stop your griping & be patient!
Anonymous | 15 January 2012
Tony......this is a fantastic advancement.
Have you done anything constructive to improve your lot rather than just moan?
Well done to all for a fabulous service. We are SOOO lucky in Australia.
Lance Feeney | 14 December 2011
Dear Tony
One of the benefits of the scheme is that regardless of where you live in NSW, if you are eligible, you can have your medication sent to your preferred address. This can be your home, your workplace, or any other address like your local retail pharmacy. You will however need to arrange with them to act as a pick-up point for you.
In terms of the 6 retail pharmacies in Sydney and one in Lismore, this early arrangment is a first step in a process to increase access to HIV medications across NSW. Further measures will be explored.
Lance
Anonymous | 12 December 2011
This is fantastic, the best news for people with HIV.
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