Medicine prices will rise by up to $5 a script from January next year as the government announced spending cuts to health worth more than $2 billion.

Among measures struck by the budget axe are rebates for dentist services for children, GP health checks for young kids and financial incentives for rural doctors.

Funding for a new cervical cancer test means women will only need to be screened every five years instead of the current two years.

In good news for cancer patients and the elderly the government will subsidise $1.3 billion worth of high cost new medicines.

For more details, go to: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/business/medicine-prices-will-rise-by-up-to-5-a-script-from-january-next-year/story-fni0cqcs-1227352377937