PBS Safety Net
On this page
- What is the PBS Safety Net?
- How much will I pay for my PBS medicine from 1 January 2009?
- What do I need to do?
- What happens once I reach the Safety Net threshold?
- Changes affecting same sex partners
- PBS Safety Net thresholds from 1 January 2009
- What if I've received a non PBS prescription?
- Early supply of medicine under the Safety Net 20 day rule
- Who is eligible for the PBS?
Many types of medicine cost much more than the price you pay—some cost hundreds of dollars. The Australian Government pays most of it for you through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS/RPBS).
What is the PBS Safety Net?
If you or your family need a lot of medicine in a calendar year, the PBS Safety Net helps you with the cost of your medicine. Once you or your family reach a Safety Net threshold, you can apply for a PBS Safety Net card––your PBS medicine will be less expensive or free† for the rest of the calendar year.
† If you choose a more expensive brand of medicine, or if your doctor prescribes one, the extra amount you pay won’t count towards your PBS Safety Net.
How much will I pay for my PBS medicine from 1 January 2009?
| General patients | up to $32.90 † |
|---|---|
| Concession card holders | $5.30 † |
| DVA | $5.30 † |
If you have a Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) White Card for specific conditions and your medication is for those conditions you will pay $5.30, otherwise you pay the general amount.
† If you choose a more expensive brand of medicine, or if your doctor prescribes one, the extra amount you pay won’t count towards your PBS Safety Net.
What do I need to do?
You need to keep a record of your PBS medicine on a Prescription Record Form (PRF), which you can get from your pharmacy. Each time you have a PBS medicine supplied, hand your form to the pharmacist so it can be recorded. Your pharmacy might be able to keep a record for you on their computer, but if they can’t or if you visit different pharmacies, its best to keep your own records. If you have a family, ask your pharmacist about combining the amounts you spend for your Safety Net total.
What happens once I reach the Safety Net threshold?
When you are close to reaching the Safety Net threshold, ask your pharmacist about how you can apply for a Safety Net card. Once you have reached your relevant threshold and your pharmacist has issued your Safety Net card, medicine will be less expensive or free† for the rest of the calendar year.
† If you choose a more expensive brand of medicine, or if your doctor prescribes one, the extra amount you pay won’t count towards your PBS Safety Net.
Changes affecting same sex partners
- In the past, same sex couples could not access the Medicare or Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) Safety Nets as a family.
- Amendments to the Health Insurance Act 1973 will allow same sex partners and their dependent children to register as a family for the purposes of the Medicare Safety Nets.
- Amendments to the National Health Act 1953 will allow same sex partners and their dependent children to access the PBS Safety Net as a family.
- The changes to the Medicare and PBS safety nets commenced on 1 January 2009.
Changes to legislation affecting the PBS [PDF, 139Kb]
PBS Safety Net thresholds from 1 January 2009
| PBS Safety Net threshold | PBS Safety Net contribution | |
|---|---|---|
| General patients | $1264.90 † | $5.30 † |
| Concession card holders | $318.00 † | Free † |
† If you choose a more expensive brand of medicine, or if your doctor prescribes one, the extra amount you pay won’t count towards your PBS Safety Net.
What if I've received a non PBS prescription?
Your doctor might give you a prescription for a medicine that isn’t available on the PBS, or isn’t available on the PBS for your specific condition––sometimes called a ‘private prescription’. Your doctor will indicate this on your prescription and you will need to pay the full price for the medicine at the pharmacy. The cost of these prescriptions does not count towards your PBS Safety Net.
Early supply of medicine under the Safety Net 20 day rule
If you get a PBS medicine within 20 days of a previous supply of the same medicine, the cost may not count towards your Safety Net threshold. Even if you have already reached the Safety Net you may have to pay your pre-safety net amount.
For further information about the PBS Safety Net 20 day rule
or a list of PBS medicine types covered by the PBS Safety Net 20 day rule please visit Department of Health and Ageing.
Who is eligible for the PBS?
- all Australian residents
- people from Italy, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, Finland, Norway, Malta, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom (Australia has reciprocal health care agreements with these countries).
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Last updated: 5 January, 2009