Even cheaper medicines helping you save

Anyone with a Medicare card now pays less for their Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescription medicines, with the Australian Government lowering the maximum patient cost of PBS medicines.

The general patient co-payment, which is the amount you pay for your PBS medicine, is now $25 for all Medicare card holders, down from $31.60. For Commonwealth concession cardholders, the PBS patient co-payment remains $7.70 until 2030.

PBS medicine costs can vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. If you choose a more expensive brand of medicine with a brand premium, you will pay a premium on top of your PBS co-payment amount. 

If your prescription costs less than $25, or $7.70 for concession card holders, retail pricing can vary. It can pay to compare prices at different pharmacies. 

So how much could this save you?

An adult filling two PBS prescriptions per month paying the maximum patient co-payment would save $158.40 a year, while filling three prescriptions per month would result in annual savings of $237.60.

Newcastle pharmacy owner Lauren Wilson said lowering the PBS patient co-payment to $25 makes medicines more affordable.

“If you were paying $31.60, you now save $6.60 per prescription. So you don't need to wait to fill your prescription,” Lauren said.  

“The concessional card rate has been frozen to help families and individuals plan their medication costs because the rate is going to stay the same until 2030.” 

More information

Speak to your doctor or pharmacist about the cost of your medicines, or for more information visit health.gov.au/cheapermedicines