Australians could soon be getting cheaper prescription medicines with the Federal Government giving pharmacists the option to provide $1 discounts.

The optional discount is part of an in principle agreement the government has reached with pharmacists worth $18.9 billion over five years.

Pharmacists currently must charge set fees for prescription drugs – $6.10 for concession patients and $37.70 for non concession patients.

The proposed change, aimed at increasing competition, will allow pharmacists to provide a $1 discount.

But concerns have been raised that it will leave rural patients paying more for medicines because pharmacists in city areas are under more pressure to discount.

Health Minister, Sussan Ley, concedes some patients may miss out because not all pharmacists will discount.

“Some will, some won’t,” she told reporters in Canberra on Monday.

“It’s important that we introduce competition into the pharmacy sector.”

The changes will come into effect on July 1 if they pass the Senate.

The Pharmacy Guild of Australia says it won’t support a co-payment discount but any decision is a matter for government.

AAP