Overview of the PBS Safety Net

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 medicines in a year, the Safety Net helps you with the cost of your medicines. Once you or your family reach a Safety Net threshold, you can apply for a PBS Safety Net card—then 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 your doctor prescribes one, you may need to pay more.

How much will I pay for my PBS medicine from 1 January 2010?

If you have a Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) White Card for specific conditions and your medication is for those conditions you will pay $5.40, otherwise you pay the general amount.

^† If you choose a more expensive brand of medicine, or if your doctor prescribes one, you may need to pay more—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, give the form to the pharmacist so it can be recorded. Your phamacist might be able to keep a computer record for you, 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 recorded for your family 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 to get a PBS Safety Net card. Once the pharmacist has issued you a PBS Safety Net card for PBS medicines, for the rest of the calendar year your Safety Net patient contribution will be:

• $5.40^† if you are a general patient

or

• free if you have a concession card.

^† If you choose a more expensive brand of medicine, or your doctor prescribes one, you may need to pay more.

PBS Safety Net thresholds from 1 January 2010

^† If you choose a more expensive brand of medicine, or if your doctor prescribes one, you may need to pay more—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 prescribe a medicine that isn't listed on the PBS or isn't available on the PBS for your 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 non PBS prescriptions does not count towards your Safety Net threshold.

Early supply of medicine under the Safety Net 20 day rule

To keep the PBS affordable for everyone, PBS prescriptions should not be filled earlier than you need them. Under the Safety Net 20 day rule, an early repeat supply is one that is made within 20 days after a previous supply of the same medicine.

If you need an early repeat supply, the Safety Net 20 day rule means that, for some PBS medicine, this supply will not count towards the Safety Net threshold. If you have already reached your Safety Net threshold, you will be charged your usual PBS contribution instead of the reduced Safety Net amount.

Who is eligible for the PBS?

• all Australian residents
• people from countries with a  Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) with Australia.

Last updated: 18 March, 2010