Drug co-payment still on table: minister

Conflicting statements by federal government ministers has cast doubt over the fate of a proposal to impose a co-payment for prescription drugs.

Health Minister Sussan Ley in May backed away from the proposal to charge general patients a $5 co-payment and concession patients an 80 cent co-payment, conceding she wouldn't be able to get the $1.3 billion savings measure through the parliament.

But Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash, appearing before a Senate committee on Monday, insisted "government policy hasn't changed".